


Leviathan

by Zeelian



Series: The Eternal Universe - Birth of a Dragon [13]
Category: Fantasy - Fandom, Original Work, Science Fiction - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Demons, Alternate Universe - Magic, Bad Weather, Bigotry & Prejudice, Consensual Possession, Courting Rituals, Crew Vetting, Demon Guardians, Demon Realm, Demonic Pets, Evolution, Fae & Fairies, Human Trafficking, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Multi, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Oaths & Vows, Religious Fanaticism, Sexual Initiation Rites, Shapeshifting, Soul Bond, Soul Marking, Soul Name, Spiritual Farewell, Transformation, Yachts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-14
Updated: 2019-06-16
Packaged: 2020-05-12 00:45:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 64,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19218178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zeelian/pseuds/Zeelian
Summary: Reunited with his chosen family Takeshi sets to work on rebuilding the bonds between them all, but with war looming at the horizon he finds himself forced to move more rapidly than he would have preferred.Not only did they need to put together a fighting force to man the various military vehicles they had acquired, they also had their promise to the Huldu and to Roghan to fulfill.Takeshi would also prefer it if they could seek out Atlantis before they came to all out war.





	1. Home Sweet Home

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Home Sweet Home_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

The girls eagerly helped carry the various crates and cages to the house and before long they were gathered in the garden , tables piled high with various treats that were safe for humans to eat.  
“So what have you guys been doing the past year?”  
Jenna piped up from Dan's lap.  
The two had obviously grown closer over the past year, but Takeshi could tell the relationship was more like that of siblings than lovers, though he could smell that they did have sex from time to time.  
It would be interesting to find out exactly what their relationship had developed into, and how.  
“For us it's the past ten years actually.”  
“What?! Ten years? You serious?”  
“Yes, very serious. It has been ten years for us.”  
Jenna was gaping like a fish out of water when Takeshi explained the chronoshift.  
“Guess that will be a bit confusing for a while.”  
Jenna hummed with a smile once she collected herself enough to speak.  
“I'm sure it will be, but I'm also sure we will manage. But how about we start with a proper introduction of our new twins here?”  
The suggestion was met by energetic nodding from their resident twins who were eager to have another pair added to their household.

“Munin is the elder, and a bit of a bookworm.”  
Munin just huffed at the somewhat teasing introduction before introducing himself with his true name.  
“Oh, he sounds like a bird!”  
“That was my real name, but Em here named me Munin, and the name has grown on me.”  
“And this cute little raven is his brother, Hugin.”  
Hugin blushed vividly, and Takeshi found that it felt strange to see him blush red instead of black.  
Hugin introduced himself as well before Takeshi told them that they should show the others what they really looked liked and they both nodded in agreement before reaching out for the pendants and deactivating them.  
“Wow!”  
“Pretty!”  
Sarah and Maria instantly ran up to them and began inspecting the large wings.  
“Our pretty little ravens. But girls, it's very rude to touch someone's wings without permission.”  
Takeshi agreed with a teasing smile while also scolding them softly.  
“So, have you slept with both of them, or just Hugin?”  
Amanda teased lightly, drawing her own conclusions from the way they reacted to Takeshi's teasing.  
“Now now, you know I don't kiss and tell...”  
“Hmm, guess I will just have to ask them.”  
The embarrassed chirps as she began asking them all sorts of intimate questions had the others struggling to keep from laughing, a struggle that was soon lost when Hugin took his raven form and fled onto the roof of the house to try to get away from her, only to be harassed by Melissa instead who shifted and followed him.  
“Excellent shift Lissa. You have learned well while we were gone.”  
Takeshi completely ignored Hugin's somewhat distraught chirps, or more precisely, caws in his current form, in favor of complementing Melissa on her shift.  
Melissa preened for a moment before going back to harassing Hugin and after a few moments Takeshi shifted to a raven himself and rescued Hugin from the rather energetic parrot that was chasing him.

“Okay girls, be nice to our little ravens. This is all rather overwhelming for them.”  
He returned to his human form and scolded them lightly.  
There was quite a bit of teasing and snickering when Hugin instantly landed on Takeshi's shoulder and refused to change back, instead spending his time pecking at Takeshi's ear while making soft caws and clucking noises.  
“Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that a raven courting behavior?”  
Jenna used her familiar to keep her question silent, she figured Hugin had suffered enough teasing for the day  
“Indeed it is. He is a bit, overwhelmed, at the moment.”  
Takeshi reached up and began stroking Hugin's head, trying to calm him down a bit, as he was now he was mostly raven, the animal instincts holding strong sway over his own logical mind.  
“Would it be okay if I touch him?”  
“Why don't you ask him yourself, he can communicate with your familiar. Besides, he will move if he doesn't want to be touched.”  
“Okay...”  
Her tone was slightly hesitant and her familiar managed to relay the cause, a concern about making some cultural faux pas.  
“Don't worry sweetie, they have lived with us for ten years, they won't take offense unless offense is intended.”  
Jenna just nodded and reached for Hugin's head and began to slowly stroke the soft feathers and before long he was puffing his feathers, begging to be scratched.  
“Aw, how adorable.”  
Jenna cooed when Hugin craned his neck to give her better access to scratch.  
“He is, isn't he.”  
Takeshi agreed which earned them a somewhat embarrassed squawk, but the feathers stayed puffed and there was a slight flutter in the wings, begging for attention.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Home Sweet Home_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

“These are your rooms. You will have to manage with the small beds for a few days while I make some larger ones though. But you are welcome to rest with us in the den.”  
Takeshi showed Hugin and Munin to a pair of rooms in the wing that the pack were using for their private rooms.  
“We usually sleep in the garden, or in the den, depending on the weather. The private rooms are mostly used for, well, privacy, in case you want some more intimate activities without an audience.”  
Munin voiced an amused chirp at his brother's expense when Hugin, still in his raven form, let out a rather distraught caw at the mention of more intimate activities.  
Though, they didn't really need rest yet, it would take them weeks to return from the 50 hour cycle of the Obsidian Halls to the normal 24 hour cycle, and the angels would probably need even more time.

Once the girls were sleeping Takeshi found himself at the focus of both Amanda's and Dan's attention, both of them trying to tease him into something more intimate.  
“Okay, that's enough.”  
Takeshi snapped at them when he almost dropped the glass he was holding.  
“Dan, how about you let Manda have tonight and give me until the weekend to get settled in then we can head out somewhere for some alone time, okay?”  
There was a hesitant silence before Dan nodded.  
“I guess...”  
The subdued tone of Dan's voice made Takeshi cringe slightly.  
“Come here, silly.”  
Takeshi beckoned for Dan to come closer and when he hesitated to move Takeshi pounced and pulled him into his lap.  
“Seems like I need to remind you about not trying to hide that beautiful heart of yours from me.”  
Dan squirmed slightly, but didn't offer any real resistance, instead he sighed and submitted when Takeshi gave him a gentle nip on the ear, before leaning his head to the to give Takeshi access to the pack mark.  
“Please, stop blocking the bond.”  
Takeshi gently tried to coax Dan into opening the bond fully.  
“No, not until we are alone, please don't make me.”  
The raijū relayed a sense of urgency bordering on fear that along with the words made Takeshi relent and allow Dan to keep hiding a bit longer.  
“Ssh, easy. It's okay, I can wait.”  
Takeshi had expected a much stronger reaction from Dan, so far he had been very calm, but it remained to see what he was hiding.  
The fact that Dan almost instantly fell asleep did give a good hint as to the level of emotional stress though.

“Munin, would you carry him to the bedding please?”  
Takeshi carefully shifted Dan into Munin's waiting arms, trying not to wake him.  
It wasn't entirely successful though as Dan did mutter a few incoherent complaints, but he quickly settled down and allowed himself to be carried to the large pile of bedding.  
The slightly surprised and confused chirps from Munin as Dan latched onto him and refused to let go had the others grinning and chuckling.  
“Looks like your sleeping spot for tonight has been decided.”  
Takeshi teased, he would of course help Munin get away from Dan if he wanted him to, but it would be good if Munin accepted being Dan's temporary snuggle pillow.  
“It's fine, I'm just a bit surprised that he would latch on to a stranger so eagerly.”  
Munin settled down and shifted into a more comfortable position, mindful not to wake Dan again.  
“Since I allow you to sleep with us, invited you into the den, I obviously trust you, and he trusts me.”  
“A trust well deserved I am sure.”  
Munin shifted his wing slightly and draped it over Dan before settling down to get some rest, the occasional soft chirp was the only sign that he was still awake.  
“Hugin, why don't you go join your brother?”  
Takeshi's suggestion was met by a somewhat disgruntled caw and a slightly sharper nip at his ear.  
“Now now, don't be like that.”  
Takeshi tapped Hugin's beak with a claw to distract him from the somewhat abused ear.  
He wasn't upset though, Hugin was running on instinct at the moment, trying to cope with everything that had happened during the day, fleeing to his raven form made it easier for him to ignore the outside world, reducing the additional input to deal with.  
When Munin called his name Hugin perked up a bit, and after a bit of affectionate preening, sifting through Takeshi's hair with his beak, Hugin hopped off his shoulder and joined Dan and Munin among the pillows.  
Hugin did remain in his raven form though, finding a perch on top of Munin's wing.

“Jenna, why don't you join the others, or would you rather return to your room?”  
Takeshi nudged the half sleeping Jenna who was currently using his lap for a pillow.  
“Mhm, too far, too sleepy.”  
She muttered and buried herself deeper into Takeshi's lap, but before she had a chance to fall asleep again she found herself hoisted into the air by Knight.  
“Hey! Put me down!”  
“I will once we get to the bedding.”  
“Wait for me.”  
Emelie jumped on Knight's back and held on tightly, allowing him to carry her to the bedding as well, leaving Takeshi and Amanda alone in the smaller sitting area.  
“How about we make good use of our brief privacy?”  
Takeshi's teasing question was accompanied by trailing kisses along Amanda's neck and shoulders before focusing on the pack mark and the way her aura opened up to him made it perfectly clear that she intended to make the best of every moment they had before the girls would come out to have breakfast.  
Takeshi intended to use the time to show her some of the new tricks he had learned during his stay in the demon realm.

Truly feeling Amanda's soul again confirmed one thing that Takeshi had suspected since learning more about the topic of matings, she was a true match, and he found himself wanting to court her, wanting to claim her as mate.  
“Take, you feel a bit different...”  
“I know love, it's because I'm mated. For a moment my soul merged completely with Em's, and since she is my soulmate it changed both of us far more than a regular mating would.”  
“I feel drawn to your aura somehow, more than before...”  
“It's the Simiriwi.”  
“And what's that?”  
“It sometimes called The Calling, a feeling that lets you know that a person is a suitable match for you on a soul level.”  
“Oh...”  
She blushed rather vividly when she realized what he was saying.  
“As much as I have missed talking to you, there is something else I much rather spend our moment of privacy on.”  
“Pervert.”  
She huffed softly at him, but the way she instantly opened up to him, and her scent became heavy with arousal, told him she was just as eager as he was and together they set out to figure each other out again, learn what had changed and what remained the same.

Utterly sated they collapsed into each other's arms, but they both found themselves unable to sleep.  
“By the Kami how I have missed you.”  
Tears were slowly forming in his eyes as he burrowed his face into her neck, inhaling deeply to sift through her scent.  
“Please, Take, don't cry. It hurts...”  
“I'm sorry love.”  
He tried to rein in his emotions but he found himself unable to gain the control needed.  
“Please, just kiss me.”  
There was a hint of desperation in her voice that spurred him into doing as she asked and together they lost themselves in the torrent of emotions that followed.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Home Sweet Home_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

“Take, I hate to be the one to rain on your parade, but we really need to talk about how the global security situation has developed while you were away.”  
Matthews looked old and tired, and the chair in Takeshi's study made him look smaller, it was obvious that he had been worried about the developments and quite frankly, so was Takeshi.  
Angel had given him a short report during their return from Iceland and it wasn't looking good.  
There was massive political unrest brewing in Europe, former Soviet and Southeast Asia, the EU had been disbanded and many of its former member states were suffering increasing internal conflict.  
The Middle East, Africa and South America were suffering armed conflicts that were rapidly growing larger, drug cartels and corrupt governments further destabilizing the areas.  
The US and what remained of NATO along with several private financial players, drug syndicates and arms-dealers all had a vested interest in the conflicts and their presence further fanned the corruption and unrest.  
“Most experts are in agreement that unless something drastic happens we will have World War 3 inside of 15 years.”  
Matthews continued his briefing, but Takeshi interrupted him for a moment.  
“Most?”  
“Yes, some experts insist on a less optimistic projection. And I think I agree with them.”  
“What about you Angel, what is your assessment?”  
Takeshi turned to the swirling galaxy projection as he spoke.  
“I estimate no more than five years until we face a global armed conflict.”  
The display changed into a projection of Earth, showing current hot spots before displaying a projection of Angel's estimates for the development of the various conflicts.  
“And you Thomas?”  
“I'm with her.”  
“That doesn't give us much time to prepare.”  
“I would say we need to have our resources in place in no more than two years.”  
Takeshi nodded to Matthews's words before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.  
“Let's call the others in here, we need to make plans.”

A few minutes later Dan and Knight joined them in the study, Emelie, Amanda, Jenna, Hugin and Munin would join them as soon as they returned from the beach.  
“First of all, what's the status of the military vessels we acquired?”  
As always Angel was on top of matters and her projection changed to display their assets and Takeshi noted that there were a lot more than expected.  
“Thanks to Angel we have been able to salvage all of it, and incorporate some of the stuff Mandrake was working on. And our grateful arms-dealer has sent quite a bit more stuff our way, including people that he believes will be willing to join our cause.”

It took them most of the day, but by the evening meal they had a pretty solid plan to work after.  
They would be buying land in low risk areas and build safe houses of sort where they could go if their Hawaii home came at risk, they would also contact Amarok and make sure he was prepared to house them all if things went bad.  
Takeshi. Knight and Emelie would take a short trip the following week to deliver the promised Sanctuary-seed to the Huldu, planting it at the heart of their land in Iceland, that would give them one more possible hiding place if things went bad.  
Matthews would keep working his contacts and together with Angel he would try to enlist the manpower needed to run their military hardware, to form a militia of sorts that would be tasked with protecting their island home and whatever other important locations or people that may need it.  
Meanwhile Takeshi intended to take his pack to find Atlantis, but he would have to talk to Dan first, he wanted to bring his entire pack, and that would require Dan to take the blessing and he intended to offer it to Jenna as well, to bring her along if possible.  
Hugin was not too happy though when Takeshi told them that he wanted Hugin and Munin to stay behind and help Matthews and the girls while Takeshi and the others searched out Atlantis.

“Hugin, I need you to help keep the girls safe. Please...”  
Takeshi shifted his focus away from the debate at the table and focused on his own silent conversation with Hugin.  
“Since I have to bring Manda for this and I don't want to leave the twins again so soon I will have to bring my entire pack. Leaving very few defenders with powers behind.”  
“I know, we wouldn't be any good anyway, I just don't like it.”  
“I know you don't, but I will try to return as fast as possible.”

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Home Sweet Home_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

“Dan, time to get up sleepyhead.”  
Takeshi gently shook him but was rewarded with muttered curses in Swedish as Dan turned over and went back to sleep.  
Munin looked up from his spot under his brothers wing and just shook his head when he spotted Takeshi's amused grin.  
“Be nice to the poor guy, he has only slept three hours.”  
Munin's whisper was low enough not to disturb anyone.  
“I know, he can go back to sleep once we have boarded the Tiamat.”  
Takeshi took a moment to decide how to wake his very sleepy head of security.  
Mind made up he leaned in and nipped at the pack mark before giving Dan a kiss that had him wide awake and spluttering in a matter of moments.  
“Take!”  
Dan hissed in part annoyance, part embarrassment.

“Come on, it's time to head out, you can go back to sleep on the Tiamat if you still want to sleep more.”  
Takeshi hadn't slept at all, instead he had spent the past few hours making sure the Tiamat was properly stocked for the weekend, he had no plans to make land during their little trip.  
The mention of their little trip had Dan perking up a bit, but it was still obvious that he had not slept enough and before anyone had a chance to complain Munin had extracted himself from his brother and picked Dan up, taking full advantage of his true size.  
“Is there anything you need to pack or should I bring him down to the boat right away?”  
“It's okay, I have brought everything we need already.”  
Takeshi watched the way Dan clung to Munin with a grin, it seemed he was not too fond of being carried through the air over the roof of their home.  
“It's okay Dan, Munin won't drop you.”  
Takeshi's words made him relax slightly, but they decided to walk anyway, if Dan became too agitated he would have a hard time falling asleep again.  
By the time they reached the small lagoon Dan was sound asleep in Munin's arms and didn't even notice when the angel crossed the water between them and the Tiamat with a few strong strokes of his wings.  
Takeshi just shifted into his favored peregrine form and joined them.  
“You can put him down there.”  
Takeshi pointed toward the sitting area on top of the owner's suite while grabbing a few pillows and comforters.  
“Angel, would you take us out please.”  
“Of course. What is our destination?”  
“Just cruising, stay clear of other boats and avoid bad weather if there is any.”  
Takeshi intended to leave Angel at the helm for their little trip.  
“Have a nice trip.”  
Munin's thoughts carried clear and when Takeshi looked up he was sporting a wide grin as he spread his wings and took off toward the house.  
“We will. Take care of my girls while we are away.”  
Takeshi raised his hand in a salute of sorts, a gesture he had learned from the hunters.  
“I will, you have my word.”  
Takeshi took a quick look at the route that Angel had suggested before giving her the okay and once he had he curled up behind Dan to wait for him to wake up.

“Welcome to the world of the living.”  
Takeshi teased lightly while holding out a mug of steaming hot coffee for Dan.  
“You know I totally love you, right?”  
Dan sighed while gulping down the hot drink.  
“I know.”  
Takeshi refilled the mug with a smile.  
“I was talking to the coffee.”  
Dan's familiar quip made Takeshi laugh.  
“Sure you did.”  
He teased back, letting the familiarity of the exchange help settle Dan's nerves. .  
“And you know you are crazy, right? Hot coffee in this weather...”  
Takeshi never really understood Dan's almost maniacal desire for steaming hot coffee in this hot weather, if he wanted the caffeine a strong iced coffee ought to be a better choice.  
“Oh, stuff it. I'm not caffeinated enough for your teasing yet.”  
Takeshi just smiled and held out a bowl of fruit salad, not the slightest bit bothered by Dan's morning temper, instead he just sat down and watched Dan make short work of his breakfast.

“So, you think you are caffeinated enough for a bit of a more serious talk?”  
Takeshi could feel a flicker of fear in Dan's aura but it was quickly suppressed.  
“As ready as I'll ever be...”  
“Don't worry, It's nothing bad.”  
Takeshi soothed.  
“You know we are heading to Atlantis next, but I really don't want to leave the twins behind.”  
“So I will be alone here while you go then...”  
The drop in Dan's mood was instant.  
“Now now, let me finish talking before you jump to any conclusions.”  
“Fine...”  
Dan was still moping a bit.  
“I don't want to leave you either, and there is only one way we can solve that. Will you accept the Blessing?”  
Takeshi couldn't help smiling as Dan's eyes went impossibly wide when he realized what was being said.  
“Yes!”  
There was no hesitation in Dan's voice and the total determination that echoed through the bond confirmed the spoken words.  
Takeshi just nodded and beckoned Dan to come closer?  
“Now?”  
“Would you rather wait?”  
Takeshi had no intention of pushing Dan, but at the same time he didn't want to wait.  
“I guess not.”  
Dan agreed and moved over, making himself comfortable in Takeshi's lap.  
“When you feel the power try not to fight it, if you do it will hurt. Instead try to allow your instincts to take over, let them guide it and shape it into a form that suits you.”  
Takeshi calmly instructed Dan while shifting him slightly to allow better access to his neck while also moving him into a position where he could restrain him.  
“If you start fighting it I might have to restrain you, you know that, right?”  
“I know...”  
There was a slight tremor of fear in Dan's voice.  
“I know you don't like it, but once started the process must be completed or it will kill you.”  
Dan just nodded, fear still tainting his aura.  
“You know I won't actually hurt you.”  
“I know, it's just...”  
“Ssh, I know. Just try not to fight it and it won't be needed.”  
“Just do it, okay? Before I lose my nerve.”  
“As you wish.”  
Takeshi leaned in and gave the pack mark a gentle nip before he moved to the unmarked shoulder and began to tease it with gentle kisses.

“May I?”  
He gently dragged slender fangs against the skin, asking for permission to steal a few drops of blood first, the effects of the bite would help Dan handle the power of the blessing.  
“Always...”  
Takeshi sank his fangs in and took a few drops of blood, but feeling the very essence of all that was Dan surprised him somewhat as it lit a familiar fire.  
Takeshi had been with Dan many times, and he did enjoy those times, but his own reactions, his own lust was always a reaction to Dan's desire, fuel by his love, his want.  
This time was different, he could feel his own want, his own lust burning hot within.  
“Hmm, I think I will make you wait a few more hours.”  
Takeshi was struggling to keep his breathing somewhat even, making sure nothing was transmitted over the bond until he wanted it to.  
“What, why?”  
Dan's confusion only made Takeshi smile against his neck.  
“Because I find myself wanting to enjoy the human you one last time if you will allow me.”  
As he spoke Takeshi opened up the bond and allowed Dan to feel his desire.  
“Take?”  
Dan shifted position slightly and opened up the bond fully, reaching out through it to get a better feel for Takeshi's emotions.  
“Oh, shit... Wow... Damn... Take...”  
Dan was rambling and cursing rather incoherently as the bond flooded him with Takeshi's desire, leaning in Takeshi silenced him with a soft kiss.  
“Yes!”  
Dan twisted around so he was straddling Takeshi before leaning in and pulling him closer, bringing the kiss from soft to searing.  
It had always been a bit of an odd sensation for Takeshi to have Dan straddling him, despite the rather dominant position Dan was entirely submissive, even when taking his pleasure from Takeshi he still remained submissive.  
To avoid triggering Dan's trauma he would always be the one on top so to speak, but Takeshi intended to at least try to get him past his fears for once.  
“Mm, so eager.”  
Takeshi pushed Dan back slightly before cupping his cheek.  
“Look at me.”  
When Dan's eyes locked with his own he nodded slightly and began to turn them both around among the pillow.  
“Easy, don't look away.”  
Takeshi could feel the first stirrings of fear from Dan and quickly began to distract him from what he was doing.  
“Look at me, see me, feel me, nothing else matters.”  
Much to Takeshi's relief it was working, by focusing Dan's awareness on him, someone who he trusted, and flooding him with all the new emotions over the bond he was able to keep him calm enough to keep going.  
But in the end it was still too much for Dan and the fear began to surface, preventing them from taking things all the way so Takeshi carefully rolled over on his back again and allowed Dan to take the reins, allow him the illusion of having full control.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Home Sweet Home_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

“Damn. You have learned some new tricks...”  
Dan was grinning at Takeshi, all flushed and breathless.  
“I have.”  
Takeshi agreed with a pleased smile before leaning in, nipping at Dan's unmarked shoulder.  
“Ready?”  
“Yeah, unless you plan on going another round...”  
“I think you have had enough for now.”  
Takeshi teased as he sank his fangs into Dan's shoulder at the crook of the neck and the way Dan leaned back into him made Takeshi hope that he would recover quickly.

Takeshi was grateful for the lessons that Lilith had given him about controlling the power of an Avatar, it allowed him to separate the pure power of the blessing from the part that was his own.  
It gave a purer transition, allowing the ones receiving the Blessing to chose their form without being influenced by the part that was his own power, though as expected he could feel a slight pull on the bond, asking for the part of the power that was his own.  
He could feel Dan sift through the strands of power and hone in on the part that was dragon, pulling at it, demanding more of it and Takeshi gave without hesitation.  
If Dan wanted the part of him that was dragon, then Takeshi would do everything in his power to see to that Dan got what he wanted.  
“That's it, make it your own.”  
Takeshi allowed his pride to echo over the bond as Dan took to the power of the Blessing just as easily and calmly as he had taken to the pack mark.  
Takeshi could feel the shift in Dan's aura as the power settled, but there were no visible changes to his appearance which had Takeshi somewhat concerned for a moment, but when he could feel sharp claws prickling his skin he relaxed.

“Look at me. Let me see if you still have those pretty blue eyes of yours.”  
When Dan opened his eyes a third eyelid instantly slid into place, but it retracted when Takeshi held up his hand and shaded Dan's eyes.  
“Absolutely stunning.”  
Takeshi murmured when he got a look at Dan's eyes, their electric blue color had managed to turn an even more vivid shade and there were sparks of power emanating from the slit pupil, eyes worthy a true dragon.  
“Are they still blue?”  
Dan winced slightly at the volume of his own voice which made Takeshi cup his ears to help filter the sounds, but he didn't go back to using the bond as the reaction had been slight.  
“An amazing blue, but you will need to wear glasses or contacts unless you learn to change them.”  
“Slit pupils?”  
“Indeed, but it suits you.”  
Taking hold of Dan's hands Takeshi inspected the claws.  
“Such delicate claws. Slender, but deadly.”  
Takeshi tested the sharpness of one of the claws by dragging it along his palm, cutting clean and deep without applying force.  
Noticing the way Dan's breath hitched and his eyes glazed over Takeshi offered him the bleeding hand.  
It would seem that vampiric tendencies was to be expected by those he changed.  
“Go ahead if you want to.”  
Spurred by Takeshi's words Dan leaned in and began to carefully clean away the blood, but he didn't make any move to bite down.  
“No need to be gentle.”  
Takeshi groaned, the soft touch of Dan's tongue was rekindling the fire from before.  
Dan however just hummed against his hand, the touches even softer, deliberately teasing and once he had cleaned the blood from Takeshi's hand he began to use his claws to trace patterns on Takeshi's chest.  
The touch was gentle, but occasionally he would use just enough force to draw a thin line of blood that he leaned in and clean up with a languid lick.  
“You better stop that unless you want to find out just how much stamina your new body has.”  
Takeshi hissed at him, but did nothing to stop him.  
“Hmm... Tempting, but I think I need to eat something first.”  
“You are welcome to eat me if you want to.”  
Takeshi quipped before considering the alternative interpretation of his words and Dan's eyes instantly dropped to his crotch before looking away with a vivid blush.  
“Why do you always have to drag me down into the gutter?”  
He mock complained.  
“Oh, like you aren't already there?”  
Takeshi quipped.  
“Nowhere near as bad as you...”

Dan slowly rose from the pile of bedding and didn't bother to put on any clothes.  
“But before we do anything else, I need a bath. Must be some sand in the bedding 'cause I'm itching all over my back.”  
Dan complained and tried to reach the spot that was bothering him.  
“Come here, let me.”  
Takeshi beckoned and Dan instantly moved closer, and when Takeshi began to gently scratch his back it became rather obvious what the cause was.  
“I don't think a bath will help you much.”  
“Oh, why's that?”  
“You are growing scales. Beautiful blue and green scales.”  
A quick inspection also revealed several small bumps on Dan's head where horns were slowly forming, but it seemed Dan hadn't noticed those yet.  
Instead of mentioning it Takeshi continued to softly scratch the areas where the scales were forming, it seemed the reaction was similar to the one that the angels had when molting or regrowing lost feathers.  
Both Susu and Ani had loved getting their wings scratched while they were molting, Hugin and Munin would readily let themselves be scratched when they had new feathers growing, even Lucifer had been eagerly pestering them for a good scratch whenever he lost a bunch of feathers while sparring, or from pissing Emelie off.

“Don't worry, the itching should stop once the scales are fully formed.”  
Takeshi soothed when Dan began to squirm when he paused to take another look at the progress of the horns.  
“Since this is your fault I fully expect you to keep at it until it stops itching.”  
“Oh, demanding are we?”  
Takeshi resumed the scratching with a smile.  
“Mhm, and while you're at it, could you do something about that twitching muscle in my back please.  
“I aim to please.”  
Takeshi teased while brushing his fingertips over Dan's back to find the offending muscle.  
“Hmm, it would seem that you will require some flying lessons from Em or the boys soon.”  
He hummed when he found the reason for Dan's complaints, his muscles were shifting to make room for flight-muscles and he could feel a pair of bumps forming, no doubt the early stages of what would become wings.  
“What?”  
Dan nearly fell from Takeshi's lap.  
“That aching and twitching is your body adapting itself to accommodate the new flight-muscles.”  
“Okay, any more surprises I need to be ready for?”  
“Nah, not really. Thought you might need a bit of help with your hair once your horns are done growing.”  
Takeshi couldn't help himself, it was far too much fun to tease Dan.  
“Horns?!”  
Dan's hands flew to his head so fast that Takeshi almost didn't catch him in time to stop him from sliding out of his lap and down on the floor.  
Sifting through his hair Dan quickly found the four solid and somewhat sore bumps.  
“I hope for your sake that this change comes with the ability to shift...”  
“Don't worry, it does, I can feel it.”  
Takeshi pulled Dan closer and set to work on soothing the discomfort of the change, and distracting him from the pain when needed.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Home Sweet Home_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

Takeshi watched the scales erupt, each a mix of emerald and sapphire and with the deep color and clarity of a top grade gemstone, the pattern of scales soon merged with the scales formed from his own scale in the pack mark, surrounding the black scales with a sea of blue and green.  
The horns were so deeply saturated with the same blue and green that they looked almost black until they caught the sunlight which instantly revealed their true color.  
The wings took the longest to form, but once they had formed they displayed the same blues and greens, but in a somewhat different manner, the colors shifted and changed with Dan's emotions, even when he was calm they swirled in lazy patterns.  
“Beautiful...”  
Takeshi whispered while gently stroking the wings, slowly making his way toward the base to see how Dan would react.  
When he brushed his fingertips along the mashen he was rewarded with a sharp gasp followed by a quivering moan as Dan arched into the touch.  
“Oh, wow... I see why Em loves it when you touch her wings.”  
Dan was struggling to speak through the intensity of his feelings.  
“It's such a shame you didn't grow a tail as well though.”  
The soft murmur and gentle strokes of Takeshi's thumb over his tailbone made Dan turn slightly and pin him with a somewhat questioning look.  
“What? I like tails...”

The mock innocence made it perfectly clear why Takeshi liked them but before Dan had a chance to call him out on it he spun around and stared at the raijū with wide eyes.  
The bright blush and sputtering gave Takeshi a pretty good idea what the little weasel was telling Dan and when he turned around his eyes had the telltale look of someone influenced by power, or instinct.  
Takeshi just waited with avid curiosity as Dan leaned in and bit down just above his right collarbone, the slight pain of the bite was followed by a rather odd feeling as Dan began to sift through the energies that flowed within.  
The sensation only lasted a few moments before Takeshi felt Dan latch on to the power of the Blessing and tug gently on it, begging for it to respond to him, to give just a little more and the power answered, a tiny spark flowing through the blood that Dan was taking.  
When Takeshi felt the spark gather under his hand his smile grew even wider and when the small bump formed he began to gently rub it to aid the growth and soothe any discomfort.  
“Take! Too much, I can't...”  
Dan was squirming in Takeshi's hold, gasping for breath he was beyond words, even over the bond he was barely making sense.  
“Then stop trying. Just relax and enjoy yourself.”  
Takeshi teased softly.  
“But it's...”  
Dan tried to object but Takeshi hushed him.  
“Ssh, I know...”  
The tail of many species was a very sensitive erogenous area unless they intentionally numbed it, for instance when fighting, a skill that could take a long time to learn.  
The tail was in fact so sensitive that most could easily be brought to completion just by stroking it, though in Dan's case he would probably grow scales on the tail that would make it less sensitive.

“That's it. It's almost done now.”  
The tail was no longer growing longer and the scales had begun to form along with a ridge topped with spikes, the tip had also begun to split into several spikes.  
A few minutes later Dan's aura began to flare wildly and his body went rigid in Takeshi's arms as the extra energy was expelled.  
But in the wake of the pure energy of the blessing Takeshi could feel a tiny flicker of Ylian's power emanate from the mark he carried and travel over the bond to Dan and settle there.  
Moments later Dan collapsed and exhausted from his change he instantly fell asleep.  
With Dan deep asleep, Takeshi took a moment to inspect his new form, he would take the time to explore what the tiny shadow fragment might do later..  
Gently lifting the spines that ran along the top of the tail revealed soft but durable webbing and spreading the spikes on the tip of the tail revealed more webbing, making it rather obvious that Dan had chosen an aquatic dragon as his form.  
It wasn't much of a surprise though, Dan's aura carried the calm, healing energies that were typical for someone aligned with the life-giving and healing aspects of the water element.  
It was possible though that the plans to seek out Atlantis had some influence, Dan did not want to be left behind again.  
_“He did that for you, you know.”_  
There was a slight edge to the raijū's tone, it was obviously not entirely happy with events.  
_“I know. It may not have been the best of reasons to grow a tail. But having one will help him in the long run.”_  
Most demonic species with leathery wings had tails that they could use as a rudder to increase their control while flying while those with feathered wings instead had the ability to very precisely control the positioning of each feather in the wings.  
_“Takeshi of House Shamarai, Alpha of pack Kiryu. Will you hear my request?”_  
The raijū had never addressed him so formally before and as it spoke it changed into its larger wolf form, all that made Takeshi curious about what kind of request it had.  
_“I will hear it.”_  
 _“Will you swear to protect and honor him as if he was a mate, even if he never claims a part of your heart, or the formal status of mate?”_  
The request stunned Takeshi for a moment, he had never even considered not to and for a brief moment he felt insulted that the raijū would think so low of him before realizing that it was asking for a formal vow, an oath that would offer a measure of protection.  
All bonds could be challenged, but few would be willing to challenge a mating bond, or an oath that carried the same meaning.  
There was no hesitation as he spoke the words, placing his oath to treat Dan as if he was a mate in every way possible.  
_“And I promise, if I ever find myself able to truly love him, I will seek to court and mate him properly.”_

Satisfied with Takeshi's words the raijū moved closer and bumped its head against his hand, a rather forward request to be petted that Takeshi didn't mind granting.  
Takeshi reached over and scratched between the large ears, mindful of the third eye, before carefully running his hand along the long, whip like, appendages behind the ears.  
It didn't take long before the raijū was trying to crawl into the bedding with a soft, content, growl that sounded more like a purr than a growl.  
_“You know, this would be a lot easier if you took your smaller form again.”_  
Takeshi's suggestion was met by a slightly displeased tone to the growl, and the long appendages wrapping around his arm to keep him from letting go.  
_“Okay, okay. You win, I won't stop.”_  
With a slight chuckle he resumed rubbing the false eye at the tip of the long appendage, only pausing occasionally to shift his attention to the other appendage as they seemed to be almost fighting for the attention.  
The raijū had four of the long appendages, one from behind each ear and one from each of the front elbows, but the ones behind the ears were the most sensitive and active.  
The elbow appendages, while less active, were more prone to the static discharges that revealed the raijū's lightning elemental nature.  
Touching the elbow appendages could be a rather painful experience depending on the raijū's current mood, if it was angry, or scared, it could deliver what would be a deadly jolt to most creatures.  
On the other hand if it was in a good mood the discharge would be a gentle tickle, or just enough of a jolt to make someone jump if it felt playful, or in the mood for some teasing.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Home Sweet Home_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

“Welcome back sleepyhead.”  
Takeshi teased while putting a mug of steaming coffee under Dan's nose.  
The murmured Good morning was quickly followed by a startled yelp as Dan accidentally crushed the mug and Takeshi found himself struggling not to laugh at the curses that followed.  
“Damn, I knew I'd get stronger, but this is silly...”  
He carefully picked up the shards of the mug and handed them to Takeshi before taking the offered towel to wipe away the spilled coffee.  
“At least you didn't get burned.”  
Takeshi had inspected Dan's hand and lap carefully to make sure he hadn't gotten scalded by the hot liquid.  
“I can't be around the girls until I have this under control.”  
Dan wasn't paying any attention to Takeshi, instead he was focused on the ceramic shard he was rolling between his thumb and forefinger before easily crushing it to dust.  
“Don't worry, your senses will adapt soon and you will be able to control how much power you apply again.”  
“I know. It just feels strange. Yesterday I would have hurt my finger if I tried to do that, and I would have needed tools to actually crush it.”  
“Not to mention some nasty burns from that coffee.”  
Takeshi added with a teasing smile and held out a new mug of coffee which Dan eagerly accepted, but cradled very carefully in cupped palms.

“So, how are you feeling?”  
Takeshi waited for Dan to empty his mug before trying to speak to him.  
“Like I could eat an elephant.”  
“Don't worry, we don't have any elephants, but there is plenty of meat in the storage rooms.”  
Takeshi's teasing was rewarded with a frustrated huff.  
“What good is it down there?”  
The glare did carry a touch of anger, the hunger making Dan far more irritable than normal.  
“Point taken. Food first, then we explore your changes. Okay?”  
“Hmph, whatever, just feed me.”  
Dan got up from the bedding, intent on heading to the galley but before he could take two steps he found himself caught by strong arms, and just in time to save him from hitting the deck, face first.  
“Easy, remember that the wings and tail change your balance.”  
“No shit...”  
He grumbled while Takeshi pulled him back on his feet.  
“Don't worry, you'll get used to it soon enough. But for now, maybe you should wait here while I bring the food?”  
Takeshi glanced between Dan's wings and the somewhat narrow doorway and stairwell that lead into the Tiamat.  
Reaching up, he gave the closest wing a gentle tap to clarify his point, Dan simply would not fit through the narrow passages in his current form, the wings much too large.  
They slowly walked over to the railing where Dan would have something to hold onto so that he could get used to his new balance while Takeshi prepared their food.  
“Try not to fall overboard, okay?”  
Takeshi teased over his shoulder as he headed down toward the galley.  
“Stuff it will ya...”  
The muttered response only made him laugh more, even without the bond Dan had totally failed at sounding upset.

Takeshi quickly filled the condiment trays with various sauces to dip both vegetables and slices of meat and fish into, after a few moments of consideration he also mixed a few dips suitable for dipping fruits into and filled a tray with them before placing the trays into the carrier.  
The addition of the fruits did offer a bit of a dilemma though, the cooler was already filled with meat and fish so he would either need to find another way to carry the fruits, or make a second trip.

“You have any idea how ridiculous that looks?”  
Dan was laughing so hard he lost his balance and ended up sitting on the deck.  
He had begun laughing the moment he spotted Takeshi with a large basket filled with fruits on his head.  
“Indeed, but it does come in handy sometimes. The hunters taught it to the youths that were working on their trials and it's a good skill to know.”  
After placing the food on the table he helped Dan up and walked with him to the seat, ready to grab him if needed.  
“I can see why hunters would want to keep their hands free, but wouldn't it be easier to just use a backpack?”  
Dan helped unpack the tray carrier and empty the cooler, placing the various chunks of meat on top of the cold marble slab in the middle of the table.  
“Well, in a society where most inhabitants have wings, backpacks really aren't a big thing.”  
Takeshi lit the small table grill, hopefully it wouldn't be needed though, just like the others Dan would need to get used to eating his meat raw.  
“I know you are aren't too keen on the idea of eating raw meat, but you need to try it. Chances are that you will find your taste somewhat changed.”  
“I know. I was actually paying attention to Manda's change in case you forgot.”  
Dan poked at the thin slices of meat before using his chopsticks to pick one up and dip it into the thin sauce that Takeshi offered him.  
“Wow! This is good! What is it?”  
Dan grabbed several slices and dunked them into the bowl.  
“It's gong meat and a sauce made with orcha, unripe manaroka and several demon realm herbs.”  
“None of that aphrodisiac stuff I hope?”  
Dan gave the meat a suspicious sniff before stuffing it into his mouth, unable to resist his hunger.  
“Don't worry, shiiza doesn't go very well with savory foods. I made a nice selection for dessert though.”  
Takeshi pointed toward one of the trays that was filled with various demonic desserts.  
“I won't be sleeping tonight, will I?”  
“Not if I have any say.”  
Takeshi gave him a rather telling smile while offering him another plate with thin strips of meat.  
“Now, how about you try some regular meat? Gong is delicious, but it won't be all that easy to get more.”  
Dan however was too far into his hunger to even notice what Takeshi said, instead eagerly devouring the offered meat and Takeshi simply kept offering him more.

“How about you let me have a closer look at you before you dig in on dessert?”  
Takeshi caught Dan's hand as he reached for the basket of fruit and pulled it closer, turning it over he dragged one of his claws along Dan's palm to test the toughness of the skin before inspecting the curved claws, testing their strength and sharpness against his own.  
Turning the hand over again Takeshi inspected the scales that protected the fingers, running his thumb along each slender digit before focusing on the back of the hand.  
“Hey!”  
The reaction when Takeshi gently pried at one of the scales was instant, Dan pulled his hand back and cradled it against his body while glaring at him.  
“Okay, okay. I won't do that again, promise.”  
Dan huffed at the promise, but he did place his hand back in Takeshi's waiting hands and tried to keep still while Takeshi inspected his new form..  
“You make quite a beautiful dragon, but how about we see if you can return to being my cute little human looking Danny?”  
“Take..!”  
Dan's grumbling complaints made Takeshi snicker, and want to tease him even more.  
“Fine, my cute little Dan.”  
He stressed the Swedish pronunciation of Dan's name, which made Dan look at him and sigh.  
“Why do I bother putting up with your antics?”  
“Because you love me?”  
Takeshi deadpanned in return, making Dan burst into laughter.  
“Yeah, lucky for you I do, or I would have shot you ages ago.”  
“Nah, you are too much of a nice guy to do that.”  
While they spoke Dan's features changed slowly, the scales and wings fading away, but the eyes remained the same and the pattern of black scales along his back remained, they had changed slightly though, blending better with Dan's skin.  
Dan gasped and moaned when Takeshi gently brushed his fingers over the small scales.  
“They are soft...”  
The murmured words held a hint of surprise and Dan nearly jumped out of Takeshi's lap again when the soft touch of fingers was replaced by teasing lips.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Home Sweet Home_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

“This isn't going to be very fair if you don't have some shiiza too...”  
Dan was blushing vividly while trying to get Takeshi to eat one of the orcha soaked berries.  
“Dan, that's not a good idea.”  
Takeshi refused the offered berry before explaining his reasons, silencing Dan's objections with a slice of fruit.  
“When affected by shiiza I lose control. I won't be able to hold back. If I bed you while under its influence I will take you...”  
The sex issues were a bit of a sore spot for Dan, he had been unaware of just how bad the trauma was before he met Takeshi as he had always been the dominant one in his other relationships, but that was not possible with Takeshi, and Dan felt no desire to even try to be dominant toward him.  
As grateful as he was that Takeshi had never really tried to push things, always accepting his limits, Dan found himself wanting more.  
He knew he would probably panic again, but a part of him wanted to push past that, especially now that he had felt Takeshi's desire to have him, and not just an answering echo to his own desire, but a true desire.  
“Well... That's kinda what I was hoping for...”  
“Hmm?”  
Takeshi cocked an eyebrow in question and Dan blushed even brighter as he tried to explain.  
“You know I trust you, and you know I want this. But what that asshole tried to do, did, to me keeps getting in the way.”  
The hint of fear and shame that always tainted Dan's aura whenever he recalled what had happened quickly gave way to a surge of anger, something that gave Takeshi hope that Dan was indeed ready to put it behind him for good.  
“I know, but are you sure this is the way you want to do it? I won't be able to be gentle, and even if you panic and want to stop, I can't promise that I will be able to. Even if I manage to get enough control to purge the shiiza from my body, the effect it has will remain for quite a while.”  
Takeshi's words left Dan silent for a moment before he squared his shoulders and locked eyes with the man he loved, wanted.

“I'm sure. Right now, under the influence of this shiiza stuff, a whirl of new instincts, and missing you for a year, I don't think I've even been this...”  
He fell silent with a deepening blush.  
“Desperate?”  
Takeshi offered with a pointed smile.  
“Oh shush...”  
Dan blushed even brighter.  
“Oh, don't worry. I know how you feel. After all, I have 10 years to make up for...”  
The way Dan's eyes widened and the rather loud gulp had Takeshi laughing in a heartbeat and moments later Dan joined him.  
“Like you didn't screw everything cute and willing over there...”  
Dan's smile and blush belied his gruff words  
“Well, not everything, we were only there for 10 years after all. And there was the hot and willing, and a few other versions of willing to consider as well...”  
“You are impossible...”  
He snuggled in closer and once again held out one of the silver berries, and this time Takeshi took it, and gave his fingers a slight nip for good measure.  
“On that topic, feel like telling me about you and Jenna?”  
Dan instantly turned bright red.  
“I rather not, at least not without her being here or while being under the influence.”  
“How very honorable of you.”  
Takeshi's words may have sounded teasing, but his aura surged with pride and approval.  
“Damn, this stuff is effective.”  
Dan was breathing heavily and squirming in Takeshi's lap, desperate for something, anything and Takeshi could feel the shiiza taking hold, raising his own desire to match.  
“Oh believe me, this is just the beginning.”  
As he whispered the teasing words, Takeshi began to feed his own feelings through the bond, intentionally pushing and enveloping Dan in his own arousal and raw want, need, and the reaction was instant.  
Through the flaring aura and spiking pheromones Takeshi felt something snap in Dan and as he watched Dan's form retake many of the dragon like traits he abandoned all effort to stay in control, instead he followed Dan's lead, slipping into the grasp of pure instinct, and desire.

“Oh, wow. Ow..? Damn! How does Em do this?”  
Takeshi had been watching Dan slowly wake up and the muttered complaints made him chuckle.  
“Carefully, that's how. Not to mention being a Lilim, a succubus, she is uniquely suited to such activities.”  
Takeshi's choice of words, and the way he stressed some of them turned Dan bright red in a matter of moments.  
“Yeah, but damn. She is tiny... And well, you're most definitely not... Damn, I never realized just how fucking huge you really are...”  
In his usual position straddling Takeshi Dan was the one controlling the pace, and the force, but this time he had been at the mercy of Takeshi's wild power of and the almost frantic need between them had resulted in some rather intense, and rough, sex.  
Sex that left Dan exhausted, and groaning in pain, before abandoning the idea of trying to sit up until his body had a chance to heal some more,  
“I did warn you. But don't worry, your new body should come with enhanced healing. It might just need a bit of a push to get started.”  
Takeshi slowly leaned in and sank his fangs into the pattern of soft scales on Dan's neck and as he did he also used the claw on his thumb to pierce his fingertips before digging his claws into Dan's hips, hoping that the damage combined with the small amount of his blood would trigger Dan's own healing.  
Dan's soft sigh of relief confirmed that it was working.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Home Sweet Home_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

“Are you ready to head back to the island?”  
“Would saying No make any difference?”  
Dan's soft grumbling made Takeshi laugh and kiss him.  
“Only if you actually mean it.”  
“Asshole.”  
“Aw, and here I thought you liked me.”  
There was another round of grumbling, then Takeshi found himself knocked to the deck rather roughly as Dan took advantage of his new body.  
They had spent a week on the Tiamat to let Dan get used to his new power and by the time they set their heading back toward the island Dan seemed to be over his trauma, only resting long enough for his body to heal before goading Takeshi into another round.

It was early morning when they arrived back home and they could sense that everyone was at the house and just waking up so they hurried up to the house.  
Stepping into the garden and looking out over the utter chaos that was breakfast Takeshi couldn't help smiling and shaking his head with a slight sigh.  
“Home sweet home...”  
The sound of his voice alerted his rather preoccupied little girls who instantly spun around to greet him.  
“Daddy!”  
The distraction combined with the shift of focus however forced Takeshi to take a quick step to the side as the plate of sashimi that Sarah had been levitating suddenly flew his way.  
“Sarah! What have I told you about allowing yourself to be distracted while levitating things?”  
Eriko scolded her lightly.  
“Umm, don't?”  
Even when scolded there was a slightly impish tone to Sarah's answer.  
“Exactly.”  
“Gomen ne Sensei...”  
Takeshi could almost see Eriko roll her eyes at the less than proper apology, but the ducked head and somewhat subdues aura seemed to be enough to appease her.  
“Try to remember that in the future. Now go apologize to your Alpha, after all, he is the one you almost hit.”  
Sarah nodded and quickly scrambled toward him, and he kneeled down to catch her, but by the time she reached him she had reverted to her wolf form and he found himself with his arms filled with a squirming pup that was eagerly licking at his face in apology.  
He gave her a gentle nip on the ear in reprimand before forgiving her and sending her back to the table.

“Home, insane home...”  
The muttered comment had everyone that heard it chuckling in good humor.


	2. Lessons

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Lessons_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


“That's it, feel the wind, let your instincts tell you what to do.”  
Takeshi watched as Emelie and Aellai tried to teach a very nervous Dan how to fly.  
It was mostly Emelie doing the teaching though, the sylph assisted by bending the winds, making them flow strong and smooth to make it easier for Dan to gather the courage to make his first flight.  
He watched as Dan carefully tested his wings, and the winds, like fledgling about to jump from the nest for the first time.  
“That looks dangerous...”  
Jenna's voice was low and heavy with concern.  
“Don't worry sweetie, he is a lot more durable now, and he will heal much faster if he manages to get hurt.”  
He tried to soothe her, but her worry was as stubborn as she was.  
“Unless he hurts the base of the wings, right?”  
“Yes, but the instincts to protect that area are very strong, trust him.”  
“I do, but I'm still worried...”  
“Of course you are. You have grown close while we were gone.”  
Takeshi couldn't help adding a bit of a teasing tone which instantly earned him a slap.  
“Not like that! He's like a brother!”  
“And yet you have slept with him regularly.”  
“You know what I mean!”  
Her furious reaction had him laughing and waiting for her temper to simmer down a bit before explaining that Aellai would use the wind to help keep Dan safe, and Hugin and Munin were keeping an eye on the lessons and that they would catch him if necessary.  


Looking away from the flying lessons Takeshi looked down at the woman in his lap, it was a good a time as any to make his offer to her.  
“Jenna, I would like you to consider accepting the Blessing.”  
“What? Wait, you want me to become like you guys?”  
“I do, and so does the rest of my pack.”  
For once Jenna was silent, and after a few minutes she spoke up again.  
“Actually, I have been thinking about it ever since I met you guys. But it didn't feel right to ask for it. But there are a few things I would like to know first.”  
“Of course, ask away.”  
“Can I tell my family the truth if I accept?”  
“They seem trustworthy, and your father reacted well to learning about the stallion. If you feel that you can tell them, then tell them. As for anyone else, I want you to ask me first so I can check them out. After all, all of our safety is at stake.”  
“I will. The second thing I want is your word that I will always have a place with you guys. If I'm going to live forever I need to have at least some people around me that won't grow old and die on me.”  
“Of course, that has always been my intention.”  
“And here I thought your intention was to get me in bed.”  
Her teasing quip was accompanied by a very intentional shift that caused her to grind into him, and stir a rather obvious reaction.  
“Oh, don't worry, the bed part is optional...”  


The startled yelp when he flipped them around, gently pinning Jenna beneath him was quickly replaced by laughter and when he leaned in and stole a quick kiss she grabbed his head and pulled him back down, deepening the kiss.  
“I don't think I'm quite ready for that yet.”  
Her laugh was breathless as she broke off the kiss and pushed at his chest for him to move aside, which he obeyed with a reluctant groan, he very much wanted to continue exploring her.  
“That was downright evil.”  
Takeshi's mock complaint was met by more laughter.  
“Oh, you didn't enjoy it?”  
“I'm supposed to be the one doing the teasing, not be the one getting teased...”  
He groused, but was unable to keep the smile from pulling at the corners of his mouth, he did after all enjoy being teased almost as much as he enjoyed teasing.  
In the end, Jenna just huffed at him and crawled back into his lap.  
“So, when will we do this?”  
He considered her question for a moment, he did want to get it done as soon as possible, but he had quite a lot on his plate at the moment.  
“This week is a bit full, we need to take a _Seed_ to Iceland and there is the preparations to meet with the mercenaries, next week isn't looking much better, but the weekend after that should work.”  
“So plenty of time to get cold feet then.”  
“I think you made up your mind a long time ago, didn't you?”  
“I guess I did. I just never thought you would come right out and offer it to me. I was trying to find a way to ask for it.”  
Takeshi looked at her for a moment, taking in her slightly nervous fidgeting.  


“If there is ever anything you want to ask me I want you to feel comfortable doing so, no matter how strange, or selfish the question might seem. Even if you ask me something that upsets me I won't hold it against you, or punish you for it.”  
“I will try to remember that.”  
“A small warning though. If you question me or my decisions openly before the pack my instincts might demand that I give you a slight reprimand. But would not be because you asked, but rather because of how you asked.”  
“Bad idea to challenge an Alpha, especially on pack matters in front of his pack. Got it.”  
“Good. Now, how about we seal the deal with a kiss?”  
He wagged his eyebrows at her with a grin.  
“You are such a dog.”  
Jenna's deep sigh was belied by her teasing smile.  
“Oi! That's _Wolf_ to you young lady.”  
The mock complaint was quickly silenced as Jenna gave him what he had asked for.  


 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Lessons_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


“A measure for your thoughts.”  
At first Takeshi didn't seem to notice Hugin's presence, but after a few moments his aura shifted slightly, inviting Hugin to join him.  
“I'm planning to place an oath to Jenna tonight, but I can't think of a suitable item to bind it with.”  
“May I ask what kind of item you need?”  
“Just a simple trinket really, I usually make a piece of jewelry, the problem is I can't think of a suitable design. I want it to carry some symbolism that is relevant to the oath.”  
“And what oath do you intend to swear?”  
“I have already promised her that she will always have a place with my pack, my house. But I want to place a formal vow.”  
“So, home, family, belonging, protection.”  
Hugin hummed and sat down next to Takeshi, draping a wing over his back.  


“This really is more of my brother's thing, but I do have one suggestion if I may.”  
Takeshi startled slightly when Hugin finally spoke up.  
“Of course.”  
Takeshi watched as Hugin brushed his hand over the sand to flatten it and then began drawing a simple symbol in the sand.  
“ _Othala_ , home, heritage, family.”  
Takeshi instantly recognized the old Norse rune representing house, or home, as well as groups, and those things important to a person and with a low voice he recited what he could remember.  
But Hugin was not done yet, next to Othala he began to draw another rune.  
“ _Algiz_ , or _Elhaz_. Protection, shelter, guardian.”  
Takeshi continued to recite when the rune was completed.  
“They are both good choices, but still, they don't feel right.”  
“I'm not done yet.”  
Hugin quickly erased the runes and began to draw Othala again, this time a bit larger and before Takeshi could ask what he was planning he drew Algiz over it but placed it slightly higher so that the bottom of the Algiz rune was started inside the square of the Othala rune.  
When he was done there was a symbol that looked like if you had taken two squares, cut one of them in half diagonally and placed one half on top of and one half below the other square so that the corners were touching and the placed a nail through all pieces.  
“Hmm, I like it. What do you say about this.”  
Takeshi began to draw the symbol, but he drew it horizontally instead of vertically, then at one end he drew a circle and inside it the Obsidian rune for Shamarai followed by the symbol again, forming a band with a circle in the middle.  
Hugin nodded his agreement.  
“Though, you should put the actual flower in there, not the rune.”  
He added after a moment.  
”Of course. I just need to figure out how to make it. I usually make things like this from bloodstone, but I have no idea how to create them in the proper color, black and red just isn't right for making a moon-flower.”  


The shamarai flower looked a lot like a lotus flower with each petal cut from high quality moonstone, clear or slightly milky with a pale blue sheen and silvery veins.  
Each petal had a silver edge that made it look like cut gems in a fitting, the leafs a deep emerald green, unlike the Sanctuary plants it wasn't actually crystal though, it was just as soft and alive as any normal flower and it carried the deep, sweet scent typical for many night blooming flowers.  
“How about condensing some of the mist from the mistpool, that would give it a silky white color, and in an emergency it could be used to create a mist portal.”  
Takeshi paused a moment to consider Hugin's suggestion.  
“Hmm, it has merit, but shamarai are still shades of blue, not pure white.”  
“The common ones are blue, but shamarai do come in all colors, and the rarest, most prized ones are crystal clear, and after those the white ones.”  
“I guess there is still a lot I need to learn, even about my own house.”  
Takeshi sighed deeply, to have been unaware of such a basic thing despite all his studies had him somewhat annoyed.  
“You only stayed in the Obsidian Halls for ten years, it takes us several hundred years to learn the basics.”  
“That might be, but this is knowledge relevant to my house.”  
Hugin shook his head at Takeshi's argument before distracting him by tapping the back of his head with his wing.  
“It's probably as simple as no one considering that you might not know.”  
“True, but that does not make it any less frustrating.”  


After the midday meal Takeshi brought Hugin along and went to talk to Eriko.  
Takeshi was hoping that she would agree to add some of her fox magic to the ring, the same protection against deception that she had given the girls.  
Reaching out to pinpoint Eriko's aura he found her in the larger study that the girls used as a classroom.  
“Ah, Take-san, Hugin-san. What brings you here?”  
They quickly greeted Eriko and nodded to Carol and Amy who were working on their math lessons.  
“ _Eriko of the Silver House. Will you hear my request?_ ”  
Takeshi spoke his request in Japanese.  
“Oh, such formality. I can't very well refuse when you ask like that. Speak and I shall listen, and consider.”  
“Would you consider giving Jenna the same protection that you have given the other girls? And if so, what will your price be?”  
“Of course. That protection is for every member of your leash, formally marked or not. As for the price, it remains the same. Teach her to be true to this world.”  
While she spoke Eriko picked a stand of hair from each of her tails, but before she could begin to braid them Takeshi stopped her.  
“If it is acceptable to you I would like to incorporate it into the design of a ring I'm making for her to bind my own oath into.”  
“Oh, and how would it look?”  
Takeshi took a piece of paper from the desk and drew the design on it.  
“The band will be bloodstone, black base and red rune and in the center a white shamarai made from condensed mist. And if you accept, your silver hair lining the rune as well the petals of the flower and forming the veins of the petals.”  
“Shamarai, moon flower, was it?”  
“Yes, very similar to a lotus flower.”  
Eriko hummed at his reply and used her fox magic to create an illusion of the design and after Takeshi asked her to make a few tweaks she nodded with a smile.  
“A beautiful oath, a promise of home and belonging, protection and guidance.”  
Eriko hummed while turning the image of the ring over to inspect all of it.  
“Do you accept to merge your power with mine and the mist to make this?”  
“I do.”  
Eriko quickly told the girls that she would be leaving for a while, and that if they got stuck on their problems they could ask Angel to help them, or give them new tasks until she returned.  


They entered the small cave behind the garden waterfall and walked past the gravel beds where Takeshi grew his wasabi to the back of the cavern where a three tier waterfall that emptied into a raised pool had been cut into the wall and one of the mist stones placed at the top where the water flowed from a crack in the rock wall.  
Takeshi carefully wove his aura around his hands, coating them like a pair of gloves before gently dipping his hands into the sapient mist and focused on what he wanted to do.  
At first he could feel a slight resistance and the mist seemed to slip away from his hands, but after a while it came closer, flowing and wrapping around his hands and when he cupped them it began to gather, and condense, until it looked like he had his hands full of milk.  
“Now.”  
When he spoke up Eriko quickly dropped the nine strands of hair into the mist in his hands and when it began to swirl in a lazy circle he took a calming breath and used the claws of his index fingers to pierce his thumbs and allowed the blood to drop into the circling mist.  
But when Hugin reached over and dropped a pair of small feathers into his hands Takeshi almost dropped the gathered mist, he could fee that one feather was Hugin's, and the other was from Munin.  
“We have given our oath to you, Em and Logan, and we intend to extend that to the rest of your pack, as well as an oath of protection to those who are yours.”  
“A little warning next time please.”  
Takeshi had no reason to reject their added promise but he was a bit concerned how it would affect the end result of the ring.  
Closing his hands around the condensing mix of mist, blood, fur and feathers he focused on the image of the ring and began to bend it to his will, slowly shaping it into a ring.  
When he opened his hands and looked at the ring it looked almost exactly as he had imagined it, but with the addition of a pair of small feathers separating the two runes of the band, as well as a ring, or crown, of feathers supporting the shamarai flower.  
“It turned out rather nice.”  
Takeshi held out the ring so the others could take a closer look  
“I'm sure she will love it.”  
Hugin handed the ring to Eriko who just hummed and nodded her approval before giving it back to Takeshi.  
When he whistled the closest approximation he could to the Obsidian expression for gratitude and gave Hugin a kiss she broke down into yipping laughter at the utter shock on Hugin's face.  
Mere moments later a large raven was chasing a small silver fox around the inner garden, much to the amusement of those gathered there.  


 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Lessons_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


“Jenna, would you join us for a moment please?”  
Takeshi beckoned from the small private garden and for a moment she looked a bit nervous.  
“Don't worry, I won't try to eat you. Unless you ask me to of course.”  
The teasing quip instantly washed away her worry and replaced it with a hint of temper as she quickly stalked toward him intent on giving him a taste of said temper.  
He brought her through the barrier into the small sitting area where Hugin and Eriko waited and motioned for her to sit down.  
“Earlier today I gave you my word that you would always have a place with us. But if you agree, I would like to turn that promise into a formal oath, sworn before witnesses.”  
“That's a pretty big deal, isn't it?”  
The usual playfulness was all but gone and Takeshi could sense a trickle of fear beneath the surface.  
“It is.”  
The calm agreement did little to settle her nerves.  


“Will you hear my oath?”  
She jumped slightly when Takeshi spoke again, she had completely forgotten to answer him.  
“Yes, of course.”  
With a knowing smile Takeshi brought out the ring and held it out to her.  
“This ring will be my oath given form, a form that others will see, and feel. Once bound with my oath it will adapt its size to fit you, and you and I will be the only ones able to remove it from your hand.”  
Jenna took the offered ring and turned it over in her hand before handing it back to Takeshi.  
“It's a bit odd, but beautiful. Very much you.”  
Both Hugin and Eriko chuckled at the way she combined teasing and praise.  
“With this I bind my word. You will always have a home in my House, my Pack. Companion, guardian, guide or teacher, what you need we will strive to provide.”  
As he spoke his power made the runes glow like burning embers and the shamarai seemed to come alive, the petals moving slightly just like a real flower moving with winds and waves.  
When Takeshi was done speaking Hugin stepped up and gently touched the ring, adding a tiny spark of his own power to it, making the small feather design come alive and rustle slightly before settling down again.  
“If you ever find yourself in the demon realm, this will grant you passage to the Obsidian Halls, and housing within for as long as you may need.”  
Hugin quickly took a step back to make room for Eriko who allowed a ting flicker of foxfire dance through the air and settle in the ring.  
“I, Eriko of the Silver House extend to you the same protection and guidance that I have given the others under the protection of the Kiryu no Kage. The clarity of mind and perception to detect and see through deception and illusion, to know truth from lie.”  
When Eriko stepped back Takeshi held his hand out for Jenna.  
“Do you accept my word and my bond?”  
“Yes.”  
Taking her right hand he placed the ring on the middle finger and with a gentle flash it adapted to fit perfectly.  


“You can wear it on whichever finger you feel comfortable with, the size will always adapt.”  
“It might be out of line to ask, but is it possible to make a necklace for it? Just a simple chain with the same ability that others can't remove it?”  
Takeshi could tell she was nervous, but at least she managed to actually ask her question this time.  
“Of course. Eriko, Hugin, care to assist?”  
He could easily make the chain himself, but it would be stronger if the others helped.  
“Gladly.”  
“Anything to help.”  
They both pulled a few strands of hair out and handed to him, this time though the strands of hair from Eriko was from her head, not her tails, still brimming with power it was nowhere near as potent as hair from her tails, the seat of her power.  
He quickly braided the strands and under his will they took the form of a black and silver byzantine chain, inspecting the chain he took one of the small sanctuary crystals he always carried and shaped it into a teardrop vial and with a quick cut he filled it with his own blood.  
“It's enough to help heal a wound, counteract a toxin or aid in fighting of a disease. And like this you won't have to take of the chain to put the ring on.”  
He took the ring and showed her how it would attach around the vial without removing it.  
“Now that's useful!”  
The kiss she thanked him with carried just enough heat to light a smoldering fire that Takeshi knew would not settle with less than him getting laid, luckily he had a few more than willing options if Jenna didn't give in.  
“Don't we get a _Thank you_ as well?”  
Takeshi knew things would go sideways the moment Eriko spoke, and true to character Jenna pounced at the old fox and gave her a proper smooch before targeting Hugin, the poor angel far too surprised to do anything to stop her.  
Much to Takeshi's frustration, and Eriko's amusement, Jenna instantly rushed out of the private corner of the garden and joined the others and show them his oath and she was quickly followed by a laughing fox.  
Takeshi quickly found himself alone with Hugin who was still in a daze from Jenna's rather sudden, and aggressive, kiss, the low confused warble revealing his state of mind.  
With a wicked smile Takeshi began stalking toward the unsuspecting angel, with some luck he would be able to tease Hugin into helping him relieve his currently rather pressing condition.  


Hugin didn't seem to notice him at all as Takeshi slowly moved closer, not even when he stepped right into his personal space.  
With a grin Takeshi leaned in and stole a kiss which earned him a startled caw and a face full of feathers as the angel turned raven fled onto the beams that held up the simple roof that offered shade and protection from rain.  
“Now, now. Don't be like that, come here...”  
Takeshi teased and beckoned while Hugin sat at the edge of the roof, glaring and cawing at him.  
“Why don't you stop cursing at me and come here so we can do something about the effect her actions had?”  
Hugin tilted his head and gave Takeshi a rather suspicious glare before hopping down from the beam to one of the branches of the small avocado tree in the corner of the garden, casually pretending to be more interested in one of the fruits of the passion vine clinging to the tree.  
Takeshi slowly moved closer, the same way he would have if it had been a wild raven, Hugin was still struggling with everything that had happened and was frequently fleeing to the simplicity of the instincts of his raven form, allowing instinct to take over rather than to remain in control.  
Picking a ripe fruit from the vine he quickly cut it in half and held out for Hugin, taking advantage of his instincts and somewhat simplified way of thinking while in raven form, he would get scolded for it later when Hugin returned to his true form, but it would be worth it.  
“Come, come.”  
Takeshi's beckoning call sounded very much like a caw and it was enough to draw Hugin's attention toward him and the offered treat.  
It took nearly half an hour before Hugin finally left the tree in favor of landing on Takeshi's arm so he could feast on the offered fruits, an avocado added to the price, though toxic to many animals Hugin wasn't truly a raven so it was perfectly safe for him.  
“How about you stop hiding under those feathers so I can give you a proper kiss?”  
The teasing suggestion was rewarded with a hard peck on the hand and Hugin flying away again, but after a quick lap around the garden he turned back, and retook his true form in front of Takeshi.  
He still didn't speak though, instead he settled for reducing his size slightly and burrowing his face in Takeshi's chest, soft cooing mixed with slightly more excited chirps as he reached up slightly and kissed the underside of Takeshi's jaw in apology.  
The raw emotion hidden beneath the deceptively gentle gesture proved to be too much for Takeshi who tossed all caution aside in favor of grabbing Hugin by the neck and kissing him harshly while snaking his other arm behind him.  
Grasping the base of his wings Takeshi pulled him tight against his own body, flooding Hugin with the desire and lust that had been growing steadily during the day and spiked even more from Jenna's teasing show of gratitude.  
For a brief moment Hugin fought him, tried to assume the dominant position but when Takeshi forced him to take a step back, pushing him against the low seating platform he submitted and allowed himself to be pushed into the pile of pillows.  
“Ah, my little angel of paradox. My warrior, all courage, fierce and strong. Loyal, beautiful and proud, yet so sweet and shy.”  
While speaking Takeshi pinned him down, leaned in closer and brushed aside the tousled hair, listening to the involuntary chirps that spoke of anticipation and desire.  
Slowly removing Hugin's clothes he enjoyed watching the way his skin darkened until it matched the large wings, happy that the brothers had listened when he told them that the charms to hide their true nature were not needed on the island.  
Though, he added to his mental checklist that they needed to try to make some other clothes for them, he would love to see them in something besides their simple tunics without them hiding their nature.  
He would love to see Hugin in a well tailored suit while still having the large black wings behind him.  


Beneath the soft coos and chirps he could hear the familiar song of Hugin's soul, a song he would not acknowledge until Hugin was aware of it and spoke the words himself.  
_“I am Mainano, I am yours.”_  
His soul name, everything he was, offered without even being aware of it.  
If Takeshi truly wanted to force him to do something all he needed to do was speak Hugin's soul name, a whisper or even silently to his mind and he would have no choice but obedience.  
He didn't know his own soul name though, he didn't even know if he had one, but if he did, and found it, he was sure he would one day give it to the angel.  


When Takeshi and Hugin rejoined the others in time for the evening meal they did so in less than mint condition, Takeshi walked with a noticeable limp from a twisted knee that was still healing and Hugin held his left wing at a rather odd angle, but they both sported the telltale smile of someone thoroughly sated.  


 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Lessons_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


“Dan, could you help Logan get the girls into the Blackout please?”  
“Got it, master pup-wrangler at your service.”  
The high spirited reply made Jenna and Amanda laugh, and Takeshi could feel the shift in the twins aura that told him they would make sure to make Dan eat his words.  
“Let's go get the seed, shall we?”  
The entire pack was in a good mood, looking forward to the short trip to Iceland to deliver the seed that would one day become a new Sanctuary, fulfilling their promise to the Huldu.  
Originally he had only intended to bring Emelie and make a quick delivery, but Amanda was curious about the seed and when he explained to her Jenna heard it and wanted to see it as well, before long the twins and Dan wanted to come too.  


“ _ **Jenna, daughter of the wild, approach and take the seed.”**_  
The Mother's request surprised them, they had believed that she would have Emelie carry it this time as well.  
“But, I'm only human...”  
“So was I when I carried the seed that grew into this place. If you couldn't do it She wouldn't have chosen you to do it.”  
It took a while, but between Emelie's soothing words and the Mother assuring her that she could do it Jenna gave in and picked up the crystal seed, carefully cradling it against her chest which made both Takeshi and Emelie smile, she had done the same when she carried hers.  
“Do I still get to co-pilot now that Jenna has the seed?”  
Amanda had been taking flying lessons with Matthews and Angel during the past year and she was eager to show off what she had learned.  
“Of course sweetie, how else are you supposed to dazzle me with your skills?”  
While his words were teasing he did not doubt her ability to pilot the Blackout, both Matthews and Angel had praised her quick learning and skill, even Dan who was quite the scaredy-cat when it came to traveling with someone else at the controls had given her a thumbs up, though a slightly hesitant one.

As expected Dan and Knight had still not been able to corral the twins into the waiting plane, the sneaky little girls had abandoned their pup forms for agile lizards, easily able to climb the nearby tree's and hide under rocks.  
Takeshi noted with pride that they had become very skilled at controlling their size, even if they didn't have the vast reserves of power that he did it was still quite a feat to compress themselves into the tiny lizards they had picked.  
Borrowing the form of a raptor he quickly and carefully caught them and gave them a stern warning about the dangers of picking such small forms, while they were safe from predators on the island, the Mother made sure of that, they could still get hurt easily.  
“Wow! It's so pretty!”  
“Can we touch it?”  
Twin sets of eyes instantly locked on the seed in Jenna's lap when they entered the Blackout.  
“You can touch it if you promise to be careful. Jenna needs to touch it all the time or it will die.”  
Emelie cautioned them gently while Takeshi and Amanda made the final checks for takeoff.  
“Okay! Promise!”  
“Remember how to put your healing power around your hands?”  
“Of course!”  
She was hoping that focusing on their healing energies would help make sure their touch would not harm the seed in any way.  
“It's warm...”  
“Okay girls, that's enough for now. You can look at it more once we are in the air but I want you strapped in for takeoff.”  
Takeshi's interruption was met with a few grumbles, but they did as told, eagerly looking forward to him telling them it was okay to remove the seat belts again.

“Lets see what you can do, shall we?”  
Takeshi let go of the controls and placed his hands in his lap, handing control of the Blackout over to Amanda, though Angel was standing by if something went wrong.  
“That was really good, but remember to re-confirm weather and traffic data with Angel before committing to your course settings.”  
“I'll try to remember that. Thomas always does that when I'm flying with him so I forgot.”  
“Now, do you want to stay in manual, or let Angel take over until it's time to land?”  
“Well, there are a few things I'd like to show you, but it might be better if I do that without passengers.”  
“Don't worry, there will be plenty of time for that. Good old Thomas might be a pretty good pilot, but he is no fighter pilot, and I am hoping you would be willing to learn the fine art of aerial combat.”  
To be honest, he had a feeling they would need all the pilots they could get, but he didn't want to make her, or the others worry.  
“Really? You will teach me how to fly like you do?”  
“Gladly.”  
In an instant she had locked the controls and turned navigation over to Angel, unstrapped herself and jumped into Takeshi's lap.  
“Easy there Manda, as much as enjoy that part of your nature now is not a good time.”  
“Sorry, it's just, it's been so long. I need more...”  
“Don't worry, once the immediate tasks have been dealt with I intend to take you out on the Tiamat for a week or so. Just you and me.”  
“And maybe Logan?”  
Her whisper held a hopeful, but embarrassed note that made Takeshi smile against her hair, if she wanted him to share her with Knight, at least physically, he would.  
“If you that is what you want, then yes.”  
Tilting his head back slightly he gave her permission to steal some blood if she wanted to while he considered the full scope of her request.  
It wasn't the first time she had shown an interest in his beta, she would often curl up to him, or share his bed when Takeshi himself was occupied with Emelie or Dan, but despite things getting rather heated she would always get nervous and pull back rather than complete the act.  
It had Knight rather frustrated as he was more than willing to see to her needs whenever Takeshi was not available, and even though Knight had never mentioned it Takeshi knew that it also saddened him, the feeling that she still feared him at some level, maybe the planned trip would be a step toward fixing that once and for all.  
When Amanda's fangs sank in he could feel his heart quicken, she had learned quite a bit about how to tap into the seductive aspect of her vampiric powers and after a few moments he could feel the rest of his body respond to her, and it did take quite a bit of willpower to force himself down.  
“Manda, remember, not now.”  
She whined slightly in objection to his rejection, but her power quickly settled down.

“Girls, do you remember what I told you about the Fae?”  
Takeshi questioned the twins while Amanda prepared to land the Blackout.  
“Be careful. Don't make promises. Don't accept anything they offer without making sure what they want in return. Be polite but don't grovel and always tell the truth.”  
They quickly recited the base points of what they had been taught about Fae.  
Their youth would offer them some protection, but Takeshi did not want to take any chances.  
Turning his attention back to the screens in front of him he watched Amanda set the plane down, it could have been a softer landing, but all in all she did well.  


 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Lessons_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


“This way Jenna.”  
Takeshi held out his arm to support her as they exited the Blackout, they would set the seed right away so that Jenna would be able to have a look at the place with the others.  
The Huldu waited for them by the stone cairn and greeted them once they reached it, but they made sure to keep a distance to the seed.  
“The seed needs to be set right away so the proxy of the Mother may rest.”  
The Huldu elder nodded and with a few muttered words the earth before the _Hörgr_ parted and revealed a small tunnel that would let Jenna place the seed underneath the cairn.  
Following the instructions Emelie had given her, Jenna slowly walked down the sloping tunnel and once she reached the bottom she slowly walked around the small room, trying to feel where the correct place was.  
Unfortunately Emelie had not been able to help her with that, the sensation depended on the person.  
She understood when she finally felt it, there was no way she would ever be able to describe the feeling, but somehow she just knew what it meant and she carefully placed the seed on the spot that felt right.  
After a few moments it began to sink into the soil and thin crystal roots began to sprout and Jenna knew her task was done so she stepped away and headed back to the entrance where Takeshi was waiting for her to help her out of the tunnel.  
While the old Huldu sealed the tunnel behind her she was surprised to see that a small seedling had begun to grow on top of the carefully stacked stones and before her eyes roots began to crawl down the sides and before long a gnarled weeping willow had made the stone cairn its home, draping its long flowing branches down around the stacked stones.  
“Does that mean that the Soul-tree of this Sanctuary will be a willow?”  
Despite her curiosity Jenna found that she simply did not have the energy to take a closer look at the growing tree.  
“Probably.”  
Sensing her fatigue he picked her up and began carrying her to the cottage.  
The seed had a strong emotional effect on the one carrying it and it left Jenna exhausted but Takeshi was more than happy to take care of her while she recovered, intending to take the time to spoil her a bit, he did after all want her to give in and sleep with him before he changed her.  
He quickly found that it would have to be some other day though as Jenna fell asleep almost instantly once he had helped her out of her clothes.  


“You are falling for her.”  
Dan's teasing tone was tainted by an undercurrent of pain, longing and just a hint of accusation, no doubt caused by seeing yet another woman find her way to the heart of the man he loved.  
“I am.”  
Even if his words caused Dan pain Takeshi had no intention of lying, or in any way hold back or hide the truth, instead he just pulled Dan into his lap, silently asking him to forgive the pain he had caused.  
“You know, sometimes I ask myself if loving you is really worth it all.”  
The pain behind Dan's words made Takeshi pull him even closer and wrap him in both arms and aura.  
“Then you do something like this and prove that it's worth every bit of pain.”  
With his head burrowed into Takeshi's chest Dan's words could barely be heard, even by the enhanced hearing of those in the room but Takeshi didn't need to hear them, he could feel them as clearly as if they had been his own.  
“What do you say we go work on your flight while Jenna sleeps?”  
Takeshi could feel the heat of Dan's blush at his suggestion.  
He had found that he could easily motivate his mate and his lovers to learn things very fast by using a combination of teasing and some creative, intimate, rewards.  
Dan was well aware that if he did well his lesson would end up in bed, if they made it as far as to a bed.  


“Come on, show off those wings.”  
Takeshi gently teased and coaxed Dan into unfolding his wings and flaring them to show of the brilliant color of the scales and membranes.  
“Beautiful, you make for a rather stunning dragon you know.”  
Dan was sporting a rather vivid blush as he tried to brush aside the compliment, but Takeshi refused to let him.  
“If you don't believe me, ask our shadow lady.”  
When Dan refused to ask Kiryu himself Takeshi gently pulled at the bond with the old dragon and she was more than happy to respond and set Dan straight.  
_**“With a bit more confidence you would have your pick of flights. Even the ancient matriarchs would gladly invite you to their flights, hoping to add your characteristics to the next clutch laid within their dens, be it their own clutch, or one of their daughters clutches.”**_  
Her words left Dan somewhat stunned and Takeshi used the opportunity to steal a kiss that had Dan muttering half hearted curses at him.  


“That's it, feel the wind, listen to your instincts.”  
He watched Dan face the wind and raise his wings slightly, spreading them wide to try to catch the wind to help give him lift, like a hatching preparing for its first flight and Takeshi found the sight to be quite adorable, but he refrained from telling Dan that as it would just lead to another bout of embarrassed cursing.  
“Almost there, just a little more.”  
Dan still needed to figure out how to use his new energy to boost his flight, for now he was relying on muscle power and the aid of the winds, not very effective.  
“Come on Dan, fly for me!”  
When Dan finally managed to lift himself from the ground Takeshi flooded the bond with approval, pride and joy, and when Dan lost his balance and fell Takeshi was there to catch him.  
“You did well, now you just need to figure out how to use power to aid your flight.”  
“Did well? I was barely able to get off the ground, and crashed almost immediately...”  
It was obvious that Dan didn't consider it much of a success and Takeshi was determined to make him see just how wrong he was.  
“Don't be so hard on yourself, you managed to fly without using any power, that is quite a feat in itself.”  
He rubbed his hands along Dan's wings that were shaking from the effort, carefully checking for any sign of excessive strain or damage from the crash, even if he did manage to catch Dan there was still the possibility of torn muscles or sprains as Dan's new form had not yet reached full strength.  
“Oh, wow... Please, whatever you just did, do it again...”  
Takeshi was somewhat surprised at Dan's very vocal reaction, but was more than happy to backtrack and find the spot that had given such obvious pleasure.  
“Like this?”  
“Oh... Yes! There!”  


Takeshi looked at the pattern of bright, electric blue scales among the ocean of teal and aqua mixed with bluer hues that dominated the wings, it was a recent addition as it had most definitely not been there the previous night.  
The tiny scales, no more than a few millimeters across, painted the pattern of a forking lightning bolt across each of the large wings which made for a rather stunning look, but Takeshi was more interested in the way power flowed through them, and the fact that they seemed to be sensitive to touch.  
Brushing his fingers along the pattern earned him a sharp gasp followed by a quivering moan and a release of potent pheromones.  
“Oh, you like this, do you?”  
The teasing question was met by a barely coherent mix of cursing, demands and begging and he quickly gave in to the demands that he continue, leaning in he began to trail kisses along the pattern and found that it was buzzing with energy and his curiosity got the better of him.  
“Hey! Did you just lick me?”  
Dan jumped slightly at the somewhat odd sensation, still not accustomed to the feel of his own body.  
“Mhm...”  
Takeshi hummed and did it again.  
“It tingles...”  
When Dan tried to move away Takeshi simply pounced and brought him to the ground before pinning him and continuing the very thorough exploration of the new marks.  
“Take, that tickles, and since when do you purr?”  
Dan's squirming earned him a nip on the ear before Takeshi answered him.  
“Not purr, growl. Now stop squirming and let me have a proper taste.”  
“Whatever, feels like purring, sounds like purring, I call it purring.”  
Takeshi just nipped at his ear again, stealing a tiny drop of blood before going back to slowly licking his way around the lightning bolt pattern.  


“Okay, that's it... Knock it off! I don't mind you getting a bit rough, but I'm not some damned scratching-post! The heck has gotten into you?”  
Dan's somewhat annoyed words made Takeshi pause for a moment, and when he did he realized that Dan was right, he was acting rather odd and focusing inwards he found the reason, and cursed rather loudly.  
“Take? What's wrong?”  
Dan's annoyance instantly turned to concern.  
“We need to head back to the cottage, then I need you and Manda to take Jenna and the girls and head back to the island.”  
“What? But we were supposed to stay here all week?”  
“It's my heat...”  
Dan went silent in a heartbeat, closed off the bond and nodded stiffly, not trusting his voice.  
After the return from the Obsidian Halls they had spoken about Takeshi's heat and how it was different than Knight's, especially since Takeshi was mated to his soulmate.  
It had made Dan long for the day when Takeshi's heat returned, he wanted to feel the raw desire and fraying control that Emelie and Knight had both described, and now Takeshi was sending him back to the island, staying behind with just Emelie and Knight.  
“Dan, I know you want to be with me during the heat, as does Manda, and I do want you to, so very much. But I can't risk hurting Jenna due to my loss of control so I need you to take Jenna away from here.“  
As Takeshi spoke Dan calmed down slightly and allowed the bond to open slightly.  
“I know you can get a bit rough, and Em explained that the heat makes that worse, but would you really be so out of control that you can't contain your strength enough not to hurt her?”  
Takeshi sighed deeply at Dan's question.  
“That's not the issue. The issue is that while she responds strongly to me, physically, she is not ready mentally, or emotionally to give in to that. Normally that is not an issue, if she pushes me too far I can just let her know, and tease one of you guys into helping me blow off the steam.”  
The wide-eyed look on Dan's face told Takeshi that he was beginning to understand, but somehow he felt the need to put it into words, to reveal to Dan the darker side to a demonic heat.  
“Yes, it's exactly what you are thinking. While under the influence of my heat there is a high risk that I would not accept her rejection when her body indicates otherwise. Even if I might not force her physically, simply in order not to cause her an injury that would make me unable to continue. I would probably use _suggestion_ , or even _command_ to force her to comply with my every wish, my every desire, and that would be just as bad, if not worse.”  
“I... I'm... I'm sorry...”  
“Dan, my poor, pure Dan. How many times will I have to tell you not to apologize for what you feel? We all feel what we feel, there is no shame in that, what matters is if, and how, we act on what we feel.”  
At Takeshi's gentle scolding Dan relented and opened up the bond again, allowing Takeshi access to his darker emotions.  
“I'm...”  
“Don't...”  
Takeshi warned with a teasing grin when Dan was about to apologize again.  


 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Lessons_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


“No! I refuse to!”  
Jenna's voice was a furious hiss as she tried not to wake the sleeping twins.  
“Jenna, please. It's for your own safety, I don't want to hurt you.”  
Takeshi tried to reason with her but she was refusing to listen to him.  
“Oh, but hurting Danny and Manda is okay?”  
“Jenna, please listen to me. It would be dangerous for you to stay here during my heat, I will lose my normal control.”  
Instead of listening she silenced him with a glare and continued her furious lecture.  
“I will not be the reason they miss out on your heat, is that perfectly clear?”  
With a frustrated growl Takeshi spun around and hurried out the door.  
“I need to clear my head. Em, Logan, would you please try to explain to her.”  
As soon as he was out the door he shifted and took to the skies, flying in a wide circle around their land.  


“He really is trying to protect you, you know.”  
Dan was the first one to speak up after Takeshi's somewhat abrupt exit.  
“He explained it to me on the way back here.”  
The last part was aimed more to Emelie and Knight than to Jenna.  
“Jenna, this might be hard for you to accept. You have learned to trust him just as we have. But he is not human, he hasn't been since he was changed, even before that he was unlike most humans. And a part of what he was changed into is demon, with demon instincts.”  
Emelie took it upon herself to try to explain to Jenna.  
“One thing that is completely demon is his heat. Since we are mated, and soulmates, his heat won't be as bad as Logan's, but he will still lose his usual control and react like a demon. One of those things is that he won't care that you say _No_ if your body is inviting him, saying _Yes_ so to speak.”  
When Jenna was about to speak up and interrupt Emelie, Dan intervened, placing his hand on her shoulder and shaking his head, silently asking her to listen to Emelie.  
“You are probably aware that he wants you, but I don't think you are fully aware of just how bad he wants you. If you are here he will be focused on taking you, right now he still has enough control to resist the urge, but once he is fully into his heat he won't even try to resist.”  
Emelie paused for a moment to allow her words to sink in a bit before laying down the final blow.  
“If you stay, and you try to resist him, he **will** force you. Probably not physically, instead he will use his mental power to force you to comply, suggestion, or even command depending on how strong your refusal is. And he would never be able to forgive himself for violating you in such a way.”  
There was a moment of somewhat uncomfortable silence before Jenna spoke up and this time Dan didn't stop her.  


“Look, I understand what you are saying, I really do. But you aren't hearing what **I** am saying. I don't have any objection to sleeping with him, quite the opposite. It's just, I don't know if I can handle loving someone I have to share with others. But I don't want to be the reason you miss out on his heat. It may not be how I wanted it to be, but we don't always get to do things the way we want to.”  
Dan nodded and pulled her close, when they first met he had been drawn to her, for a while he even believed he was falling in love with her, but they had both agreed that while they happily shared a bed from time to time their love was more like that of siblings, not lovers.  
“Don't do it on mine or Manda's behalf, we would both rather wait for his next heat than see you hurt by it. But, Jenna, trust me, as hard as it is at times, loving him is worth all of it. Every last bit of pain is forgotten when you truly feel him, feel how he cares. I have a hard time with sharing him as well, but he always makes sure to take the time to go away somewhere with me to allow me some time alone with him.”  
“But you are pack...”  
Her mumbled objection made the others laugh.  
“If you truly chose to stay here, to offer yourself to him, he will want to take you into the pack. And as co-alpha I will gladly accept you, and I have no doubt that our overgrown beta agrees.”  
Knight huffed at the less than flattering title, but he assured Jenna he had no objections to bringing her into the pack, and despite not having much say, formally at least, both Dan and Amanda eagerly agreed.  
They spent another hour talking before Knight stood up and informed the others that he would head out and see if he could find, and return, their wayward alpha.  


“Alpha, feeling more like yourself?”  
Knight called out to the form of the circling raven from the back of his steed and watched Takeshi veer and dive toward him.  
He was only mildly surprised when Takeshi didn't break of the dive and instead shifted at the very last moment, crashing into him and knocking him out of the saddle.  
Within moments he found himself pinned to the ground by a very demanding alpha, demanding not only submission, but assistance in regaining a measure of control.  
The demon horse looked down at them and snorted in amusement before trotting off to inspect a colony of rodents scurrying about nearby.  
“Such a strong alpha, pulling me into his heat. And on a ten year cycle. It seems my life will be an interesting one.”  
Knight mused while allowing Takeshi to have his way.  
“Actually, my shadow tells me it may be a one year cycle. That it may run in accordance to the flow of time of my birth realm.”  
The idea of a one year cycle had Knight groaning, as much as he was enjoying it, it would be troublesome if it was to happen once a year, in addition to Emelie's and his own heat.  
Not to mention the possibility of Amanda and Dan having a cycle of their own and there would probably be more additions to the pack over the years.  
“Let's hope it's a ten year one, shall we?”  
Knight chuckled teasingly while offering Takeshi his throat.  
“Mhm, could get a bit tedious to go through this every year.”  
Takeshi agreed before abandoning speech in favor of nipping at the offered flesh.  
“Mmm, Alpha, please, could try to be a bit gentler? Not that mind your enthusiasm, but I promised the girls I would take them for a ride when they wake up, and that will be a bit hard to do if you cover my rear in cuts and bruises.”  
Takeshi gave Knight a sharp nip in reprimand for his objections, but he did let off a bit, taking care not to leave any more lasting marks or soreness.  


When they returned to the cabin the twins were up and about and instantly demanded that Knight make good on his promise to show them the _tölt_ , the rather unique gait of the Icelandic horse.  
“Go ahead, we'll be fine.”  
Emelie was the one to tell them to get going as Takeshi was rather preoccupied with making sure that Dan and Amanda were saturated in his scent and aura as it helped soothe his heat.  
“Jenna, Logan told me that you are determined to stay. That you intend to offer yourself to me so that Dan and Manda won't have to leave.”  
Takeshi was still nuzzling Amanda when he spoke up and Jenna instantly stopped her preparations of the evening meal and sat down across the small table.  
“Like I told them, that's a part of the reason, but it's not the entire reason.”  
“Then tell me please, what is the entire reason.”  
His blunt question seemed to throw her off for a moment, but she recovered quickly, though she was sporting a rather vivid blush when she answered him.  
“It's not like you have missed how I react to you, physically.”  
“That would indeed be hard to miss, but I also know that does not mean you actually **want** to sleep with me.”  
Giving Amanda a gentle nudge to move over he motioned for Jenna to come sit in his lap instead and though slow, she did do as he asked.  
“You really aren't going to make this easy for me, are you?”  
She complained when he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tightly against his chest, nuzzling her neck to take in her scent.  
“Not really.”  
He mused in a somewhat teasing tone and she shook her head with an exasperated sigh.  
“Look, it's not that I don't want to. It's just..”  
She paused and took a deep breath, burrowing her face into his chest so he could not see how badly she was blushing.  
“I'm scared, afraid that I won't be able to handle living at the island with everyone, while loving **you**. Loving someone who I have to share, someone who loves others, and might never love me back. And there is no way I'll be able to sleep with you and not fall for you completely.”  
The salty scent of her tears cooled Takeshi's inner fire considerably and he pulled her even closer.  
Kissing the top of her head he wrapped his aura around her and made sure that her familiar was paying attention.  


“Jenna, sweetie. If I steal your heart you have my word I will do everything I can to protect it, to care for it. There is no way around having to share, but other than that I will do what I can. I can't promise there won't be problems, or pain, quite the contrary, I'm sure there will be. But I can promise I will try to solve any issues as best as possible if you just promise me you will tell me if something is wrong.”  
While she nodded against his chest her familiar relayed her promise to not let any issues fester and for the moment he allowed her to keep her silence, he would try to get her to put her promise into words later.  
“Take, can I make a really selfish request?”  
She whispered against his chest.  
“Of course you can, but I might not grant it.”  
“I've made up my mind, I will do this. But could we wait a few days?”  
“I can try, but the closer we get to the peak of my heat the harder it will be for me to stay in control. Is there any particular reason why you want to wait?”  
He could feel the heat of her blush even through the shirt he was wearing and he smiled widely as she mumbled and stuttered, tripping over her words.  
Leaning back he opted for waiting, allowing her to find her words without pushing her.  
“At the peak of your heat, that's the true you, right? Nothing hidden, nothing held back, all that you are, laid bare?”  
Her questions gave Takeshi a suspicion what her request might be, and if it was what he believed he would gladly grant it to her.  
“That's right. Most noticeable will be my aggression, I will be rougher and more prone to having a violent reaction, and I will be more dominant, demanding greater submission than I normally do, and I will do so far more forcefully.”  
“Does that include...?”  
Her voice trailed off but he knew what she was asking, her scent made that perfectly clear.  
“Yes, that does include during sex. More biting and clawing, generally more forceful.”  
Her scent shifted slightly to fear and he quickly continued.  
“I won't be using my full strength though, I will still be aware of how fragile humans are and see to that I don't cause undue harm, but there will be cuts and bruises.”  
Her fear quickly abated and he took the moment to confirm his suspicion.  
“So, knowing that, are you sure you want to wait?”  
“Yeah, I am. If I'm going to fall for you, it might as well be the real you. So, is it okay to wait until the peak of your heat?”  
“Yes, if you are sure that is what you want, then I will do everything I can to make it so.”  
She didn't respond, but he could feel her gratitude, and embarrassment, even without the help of the familiar.  


“Now that that is decided, there is something I would like to ask you, offer you.”  
Jenna looked up and nodded that she was listening, from what the others had said she had a pretty good idea what he would ask her but she still held her breath, hoping.  
“I would like you to consider joining Pack Kiryu. Becoming family to us all in the one way that truly matters to us.”  
“Why?”  
She wanted to slap herself, she wanted what he offered, and yet she questioned it.  
“You are bright and fierce, you stand by your ideals and have a desire to protect. Not to mention courage and a delightful temper.”  
The teasing addition earned him a frustrated groan, but she didn't punch him as she usually would have.  
“I'm guessing that taking my temper out on you would be a bad idea right now?”  
“Well, unless you get tired of waiting, then yeah. So, will you think about it?”  
“I don't need to think about it, I accept.”  
“Don't rush it, I want you to think it through thoroughly. I want you to remember what I am, that I am a killer. That a monster is hidden within.”  
“Did you forget that I saw you kill those gang members? I know you're a killer, and damn good at it. But I don't believe you are a monster...”  
“You did see me kill them. But I was wearing a mask with dark lenses, you didn't see my face, the way I smiled and laughed, the way I enjoyed killing them even though I could easily have allowed them to live. They were just soldiers, without much choice.”  
“I don't believe you...”  
With a sigh Takeshi reached out over the bond with Knight and called for him to join them for a moment.  
They waited in silence and when Knight entered the room Takeshi asked him to tell Jenna about that winter day, about what happened in the Blackout, about his darkness.  


“I don't care. I still can't see the monster you refer to.”  
Jenna shook her head and clung tightly to Takeshi, refusing to let go, to show any sign of rejection and it made his instincts soar.  
“Then submit to me as your _Alpha_.”  
He leaned in to burrow his face in the crook of her neck and she instantly turned her head to the side to allow him access to the spot where her neck and shoulders met, but the catch in her breathing and spike of her scent distracted him.  
Trailing kisses along her neck he paused at her jawline.  
“Will you allow me to kiss you?”  
Asking instead of taking took a lot of effort, but he didn't want to risk setting her off, that could end badly.  
“Mhm...”  
Her hummed reply and slight nod carried an almost pleading note and Takeshi found himself struggling to be gentle, to only take what had been readily offered, fortunately it was still in the very beginning of his heat so he was able to resist most of its pull.  
As he moved his focus from the taste of her lips to the soft skin at the inside of her wrist he also slowly shifted her around to get better access, but it would seem Jenna didn't realize what he was asking for.  
_“Jenna, he wants to taste your blood, but he won't ask you, not while you are like this. You must be the one to offer it, tell him that he may.”_  
Watching the way Takeshi was kissing Jenna's wrist, and the way he was taking in her scent, Emelie decided to take mercy on them and lend some aid.  
For a moment her silent words were met by confusion, then came clarity and she heard Jenna whisper to Takeshi.  
“It's okay. Just, please be gentle...”  
Amanda had described the feeling to her, but Jenna hadn't really believed her, she had believed it to be some demon thing but now she realized it wasn't.  
As Takeshi's fangs slid through the thin skin at her wrist she felt no pain, only an odd pressure, and pleasure.  
A few moments later he withdrew his fangs and sealed the wounds with a lick, and she found herself missing the feeling of his fangs and the odd surge of emotions they had brought her.

“Are you ready?”  
His voice was barely more than a whisper but she could hear the slight strain as he struggled to control himself.  
“Yes, as ready as I'll ever be.”  
He guided her to turn around so that she was leaning her back against his chest and while he trailed nibbling kisses along her neck he pulled her closer and wrapped his arms tightly around her.  
This time the bite did hurt, but somehow she understood that it wasn't really the bite itself that hurt, the pain came from trying to adapt to his energy.  
_“Don't resist him. Submit and there will be no pain.”_  
This time the words of advice came through Dan's familiar and for a moment she struggled with it, but when she thought about the future she found it surprisingly easy to submit.  
The approval and pride that surged through the forming bond almost made her cry, it had never occurred to her that submitting, when not forced, was also an act of acceptance and trust, the ultimate proof that she harbored no lingering fear or resentment from how they met.  
Once she submitted she could feel the heat of his power flowing through her and it didn't take long before his fangs withdrew, and once again she found herself wishing they hadn't.  
She startled slightly when she felt his hand move to her neck followed by the sharp sting of his claw cutting across where he had just bit her, and a moment later there was a rather sharp pain as something was forced under her skin.  
The pain was short though and was quickly replaced by a slightly burning itch crawling down her back and she knew it had to be the same pattern of scales that the others sported, and she could feel Takeshi's joy that she took to his mark so readily.  
Slowly her eyes widened and she looked around the room.  
“I can **feel** you, all of you...”  
She looked like she was about to say something more when the strain of the day caught up to her and her eyes went blank as her body turned limp in Takeshi's arms.  
“Dan would you place her in the twins room please, their scent will help keep my attention away from her.”  
“Should I stay and keep an eye on her?”  
“If you want to, but it won't be needed. Her familiar will let us know if something is wrong and the twins can keep an eye on her as well when they return.”  
Dan's nod was accompanied by relief tainted by a hint of shame, shame that he was relieved he could stay with Takeshi and not have to keep an eye on her.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Lessons_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


Jenna had spent the past two days with the twins, trying to stay clear of Takeshi until the peak of his heat, but the fact that she could feel the others over the new bond made it very hard, especially since they were having insane amounts of sex.  
Staying with the twins and taking care of them helped keep Takeshi from seeking her out, Logan had explained that when her scent was so heavily mixed with the twins scent it made her register as a nursing female to Takeshi's instincts.  
In its most basic form the heat was a reproductive instinct, so youths who were yet to reach full maturity, and those carrying or nursing young didn't trigger Takeshi's instinctual urges.  
He had also explained that the same wouldn't work against his own heat since he was not mated, quite the opposite, a nursing female would attract his attention since it was proof of her ability to carry to term and car for her offspring which in turn was proof of her suitability as a mate.  
It had worked almost too well, she hadn't seen Takeshi at all and now she was feeling rather nervous.  
Dan had dropped by a few minutes earlier with food, a basket with soap, shampoo and conditioner, all specifically made to remove any foreign scents from her body and make her own, natural scent stronger.  
He had also given her a wrapped package containing a soft dress and a simple underwear set, along with a warning that she should not get attached to them, as they would most likely not survive her next encounter with Takeshi.  
Turning to the food she was happy to find that the small kettle contained a simple gruel with rye, barley, some herbs, onions and small pieces of fatty mutton that had been cooked until soft and tender.  
There was also a platter with butter and cheese as well as a few thick slices of still warm _Hverabrauð_ , the traditional dark _Rúgbrauð_ , rye bread, baked in one of the local hot springs, a small bite revealed that it was Takeshi's version of it, it lacked the almost overwhelming sweetness it usually had and she had quickly found that she preferred Takeshi's version.  
Making quick work of the food she headed to the bath to wash the scent of the girls from her body all while trying to keep her nerves from fraying too much.  
Once her hair was reasonably dry she braided it into a loose braid and put on the soft dress before venturing to the main room where she could feel Takeshi waiting for her.  


The room was dimly lit and it took a moment before her eyes adapted but once they did she froze and simply stared at the sight in front of her.  
Takeshi looked positively sinful, the naked male was sprawled across the bedding in an almost lazy manner but his eyes were sharp and alert, and his aura almost burning in its intensity.  
Other than Takeshi the room looked empty, but the new bond allowed Jenna to feel that Emelie was in the room, no doubt hidden in the shadows, ready to step in if Takeshi got out of hand.  
Swallowing sharply she stepped into the room and she could feel the shift in Takeshi's aura as his eyes locked on her and gained a predatory gleam.  
For now it seemed he was content to watch her though, and acting on an impulse she slowly let the dress fall to the floor and before long the bra and panties followed it, leaving her as bare as the one in front of her.  
The rather obvious hard-on made it quite clear that he enjoyed the little show that she gave him and when he took himself in hand for a few lazy strokes she could do nothing but stare, mesmerized by the simple movement of his hand.

  
When he raised his hand and slowly curled his index finger to beckon her to come closer she found that she was unable to resist the wicked gleam of his eyes, they were glowing like embers, giving of their own light, powered by the energy flowing through Takeshi's aura.  
As she reached the edge of the bedding he slowly rose and began to prowl around her, dragging sharp claws across her skin, hard enough to create thin, red lines, but not enough to actually draw blood.  
Remembering what Emelie had told her about blood she carefully placed her own hand over Takeshi's clawed fingers and applied a bit more pressure, just enough to draw a few tiny drops of blood from her own skin.  
For a moment Takeshi froze then he leaned in with a soft sigh and began to lick away the tiny beads of blood and as he did the sigh turned into a low moan, as if he had just tasted the greatest of delicacies.  
Studying her reactions he traced a claw along her chest, slowly increasing the pressure until she flinched slightly before leaning in and licking away the blood, healing the wound before doing it again in a different spot.  
By the time he reached the inside of her thighs he could barely believe that he was still in such control, it would seem the fact that he was mated had a greater effect than they had initially believed it would.  
But the moment he leaned in and tasted her properly he was proved wrong, between the taste, and the sheer slickness of her, he felt his control shatter and when her hands came down and demanded more, even the fragments of that control was lost.

  
The low growl made Jenna open her eyes and look at Takeshi, and the moment she did she felt like she was drowning in the raw, primal, want, that was reflected in his eyes and when he slowly moved back up her body, nipping and licking his way back to her neck she knew it was time.  
Despite being well prepared she gasped at the pain of the intrusion, he was even larger than he had seemed, but it was soon forgotten and she surrendered herself to him, and the pleasure he was offering, and demanding.  


 


	3. Leviathan

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Leviathan_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


Takeshi set his feet against the soft sand and kicked off, allowing the momentum to carry him back to the surface.  
He wasn't the least bit surprised when Jenna slid up behind him and took herself a nice big grab, she was in an even higher spirit than usual as tonight he would give her the Blessing and he had to admit he was eager to see what form she would take.  
_“You know, if you keep that up, I might just forget about the Blessing and spend all night with other pursuits...”_  
He turned around and wrapped his arms around her, mindful of the diving gear, to make sure she wouldn't dart away before giving another kick toward the surface.  
_“You wouldn't!”_  
She complained lightly, but she did stop teasing him and he responded with a mental shrug.  
He noted that Jenna seemed a lot more comfortable, at ease, after joining the pack, and giving in to him during his heat, he still hadn't told her about his feelings for her though, but he intended to do so before the change.  
When they broke through the surface of the water he snatched away the mask that covered Jenna's face and leaned in to steal a kiss, as expected she tried to swim away, but to no avail and he claimed his prize.  
The way she pressed herself against him made it quite clear that she did not object to the way he was handling her, instead the water around them began to smell rather strongly of her arousal.  
“Let's join the others for lunch before we head to the Sanctuary.”  
His suggestion was met by a simple nod before she turned and began to swim toward the shore, but before she had even made it 10 meters one of the dolphins surfaced next to her, offering his dorsal fin which she readily accepted and allowed herself to be pulled through the water.  


Lunch was as chaotic as ever and once they were done eating Takeshi said goodnight to the twins, in case he didn't return before nightfall, there was no way of knowing how much time Jenna would need to adapt to her change.  
Dan would be joining them as well to act as Jenna's anchor, and help Takeshi look after her while she adapted and recovered.  
“This place never stops to amaze me.”  
With a cupped hand Jenna carefully scooped up one of the crystal insects and brought it closer to her face for a better look.  
“You do know you can come down here whenever you want to, right?”  
Takeshi leaned over her shoulder and dropped a tiny emerald snake into her hand.  
“What? I can?”  
“Of course, just remember not to enter the annex with the Soul-tree without getting Her permission.”  
“Now he tells me...”  
She muttered to the snake in her hand but the snake just looked at her for a moment before slithering away.  
“You could have asked...”  
Dan's teasing quip earned him a sharp punch on the arm.  
“Damn it! Those scales hurt...”  
The way she cursed and shook her hand had Takeshi struggling not to laugh, she had done the same with him on countless occasions.  
“Maybe you shouldn't hit me so hard then?”  
Takeshi found their bantering to be relaxing, it told him that the members of his pack were comfortable, content.  
“Don't worry, once your change is complete you can go back to effortlessly kicking his ass.”  
“Hey!”  
Dan instantly complained at the mention of having his ass handed to him by his _kid sister_.  
“Well, it's true, isn't it?”  
“Yeah, but do you have to bring it up?”  
The muttering reply was accompanied by a rather vivid blush.  
“Don't worry Danny, you are still a highly skilled fighter, she is just an even better one.”  
Jenna had taken to Takeshi's martial arts lessons like a fish to water and while he had been in the demon realm she had studied with Kasumi and Eriko, learning their particular flavor of combat.  
Designed for female fighters who were usually lighter and weaker than their opponent it focused on speed and agility rather than power and Takeshi had to admit that she was really good.  
Had she been a student of Hisao-hanshi she would probably be going through preparations for her _Rokudan_ examinations, 6th dan.  
Takeshi estimated her technical skill to be at a 7th or 8th dan level but she lacked the spiritual and mental maturity as well as leadership and teaching qualities required.  
Thinking about it rekindled a desire to get his own ranking done, he had never been formally examined since he was a Kage, but he knew his skill was beyond any 10th dan he knew of.  


“Okay kids, how about you stop roughhousing and come join me here instead?”  
Oh, he knew they would not like being called _kids_ but he couldn't resist, and when they pounced on him he caught them with a laugh.  
Takeshi enjoyed the mock wrestle for a while before actually trying to subdue them, and once he did it didn't take long before he had both of them pinned to the ground.  
“If we are done playing around, there is something important I need to tell you before we go on to the Blessing.”  
He could feel Dan retreat from the bond, hiding as much as possible without alerting Jenna, this time he didn't call him out on it or try to get him to open back up.  
Dan simply didn't have the control to only block Jenna without blocking the rest of the bond and he didn't want her to feel his reaction to what he knew Takeshi was about to say.  
Rolling to the side Takeshi pinned Jenna beneath him before leaning in and whispering in her ear.  
_“Aishiteru.”  
_For a brief moment she looked puzzled, then her eyes widened as she remembered what it meant and her entire aura screamed her question at him.  
“Yes, really.”  
The kiss that followed was bruising and left them both rather breathless.  
When Takeshi stood up and reached down to pull Jenna back to her feet he found himself cornered by a rather impatient Dan who demanded he get a kiss as well.  
“So eager.”  
Takeshi hummed and once he had pulled Jenna to her feet he gave Dan what he was asking for, not minding one bit that Dan was acting a bit more demanding, almost dominant, instead he tilted his head back slightly, allowing Dan access to his neck.  
“Dan, that's enough. Let's explore this more some other time, okay?”  
His words trailed off into a groan when Dan didn't listen and instead bit down harder on his exposed throat and it took Takeshi a surprising amount of focus to push him back and distract him with a downright vicious kiss.  
_“Enough!”_  
For once Dan didn't submit right away, encouraged by Takeshi's obvious enjoyment he fought back a bit, his aura flowing with a very dominant pattern, but when Takeshi flared his own and wrapped it tightly around Dan's smaller aura he submitted.  
_“Alpha? Yes... Later... Promise? Please?”  
_Dan's thoughts were confused at first, but as they cleared they quickly turned hopeful and Takeshi smiled into the kiss.  
_“Yes, I promise. This will be_ _ **thoroughly**_ _explored.”_  
Breaking off the kiss he ushered Dan and Jenna toward the mirror annex where they would stay until she was ready to rejoin the others.  


“Remember, if you fight me it will hurt more.”  
Takeshi cautioned her while taking a seat among the pillows and motioning for her to join him while Dan took one of the larger cushions and had a seat next to the pile of bedding, close enough to be able to help if needed, but not close enough to disturb them.  
“Don't worry, I remember.”  
She crawled into his lap and made herself comfortable.  
“I'm ready.”  
Takeshi shifted her slightly to the side before leaning in and sinking his fangs into her shoulder and focusing on feeding her the power of the Blessing.  
For a brief moment her aura rose in objection, but almost instantly it folded and allowed the power to flow freely and initiate the change.  
As he had done before, Takeshi withdrew his fangs once he felt the Blessing take hold and the change begin.  
Cradling Jenna in his arms he watched her change, her light brown hair turning a deep copper with gold highlights, he could feel her muscles shifting and changing and he was not surprised to feel tiny claws pricking him.  
“Feline...”  
He murmured when fangs began to poke out from her lips and her body grew short fur that matched her new hair color.  
The long, strong tail with a tuft of longer, darker fur at the tip revealed her form to be that of a lion, Takeshi was slightly concerned though since she didn't show any signs of a hybrid form, it would make things easier, and safer if she was able to use hybrid forms.  


“ _Jenna, could you open your eyes for me please?”_  
Her energies felt stable and he could tell that she was awake.  
When she looked up and revealed golden amber eyes he was pleased to find that the pupils were slit, and had the same fiery corona effect as his own eyes, clearly not the eyes of a lion.  
“What did I become?”  
She kept her voice to a low whisper, warned that she might need some time to adapt to her new hearing, Takeshi had used the silent communication though, but as she seemed fine he switched to whispering instead.  
“A magnificent lioness, my proud and fierce little huntress.”  
Running his hand along the tail he found the bone spur hidden in the tuft of fur but when he felt a sharp tip he brought it to his face for a closer look.  
“Or maybe more of a _manticore_ , you have a stinger rather than a bone spur on your tail. And the venom smells a lot like Manda's, it's probably paralytic as well.”  
“You're going to test it, aren't you?”  
“I am, but don't worry. I'll be safe.”  
He carefully pressed his thumb against the small stinger and found that the venom was almost identical to Amanda's, it only took his body a few moments to neutralize the familiar compound.  
“You should be able to control its potency the same way Manda does.”  
“But no wings...”  
A deep sorrow was quickly seeping into her aura and out over the bond, nearly overwhelming Takeshi and Dan, and when Takeshi felt questioning pulls from both Emelie and Knight he quickly wrapped his aura around Jenna to block the others from feeling her.  


“Don't worry, this is only one form, you can still learn to shift into winged forms.”  
“But those forms won't be me! I listened, I learned, those other forms will never be as easy to hold, or feel as natural.”  
The scent of her tears and utter despair in her aura made both Takeshi and Dan curl around her.  
_“Can't you give her another dose, like you did with my tail?”_  
Dan's thoughts were almost begging, praying that there was something they could do to soothe Jenna, to give her what she wanted so badly.  
_“I'm trying to, but the power won't respond. The Blessing has a mind of its own, a plan and changing her any further is not part of it.”_  
Frustration, remorse and guilt was weighing heavily on Takeshi as he tried again to reach within for the power to give Jenna her wings, any power.  
_”There's nothing I can do...”_  
Pulling his focus from the powers within he focused it on Jenna, getting ready to tell he couldn't give her wings, but just as he was about to speak up he felt a tiny flicker of power, but not from anywhere he had expected.  
Reaching within he pulled out one of the crystallized feathers that Lucifer had given him, one of the feathers meant to help them locate Lucifer's soul mate and for a brief moment he felt a surge of fear, fear that Jenna was the one.  
But he forced the feeling down with logic, had she been the one all the feathers would have reacted.  
Instead it seemed that the power of the feather was somehow aware of what Takeshi was trying to do, and it was offering itself as a solution.  
Pulling it from within his soul he placed it against Jenna's chest and a few moments it vanished into her body and it didn't take long before Takeshi spotted the telltale signs of flight muscles forming.  
The wings that sprouted were pure black at first, but then they faded into the same copper and gold as her hair and fur.  
“She's a sphinx, not a manticore.”  
Takeshi found himself agreeing with Dan's correction of what species she resembled, the manticore was said to have a scorpion's tail and bat wings, while the sphinx was described as having feathered wings.  
“She's beautiful.”  
“And **she** can hear you, you know.”  
Jenna's complaint paired with a clawed pinch made Takeshi laugh, and moments later Dan and Jenna both joined him.  


 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Leviathan_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


“Lissa, can you carry those crates down to the Tiamat please. Have Munin help you if they are too much.”  
Takeshi nodded toward a few mid sized crated filled with vegetables while helping Jenna get her new bathing suit secured without messing with her wings.  
Jenna had been delighted to find that she was able to take a secondary, human, form with feline traits and wings, making her look like a cross between a feline demoness and an angel.  
“No problem Take, I got them..”  
“Sarah, Maria, if you don't have your bags packed and waiting at the door in 15 minutes, we are leaving without them.”  
He could hear the twins scrambling to do as he asked and the occasional question for Angel where one thing or another was at the moment.  


They were headed to New Zealand to oversee the final stages of construction of the _Leviathan_ , the new yacht that would be their home during their search for Atlantis.  
Her base design was the same as the Tiamat, a trimaran wavepiercer, but she was much larger, the Tiamat was large with her 50 meter length and 14 meter beam but she was dwarfed by the Leviathan, who with her 125 meter length and 20 meter beam was downright huge.  
Takeshi had decided to have a larger ship built after their trip to Los Angeles as the Tiamat was too small to comfortably house all of the residents of Island, even for the pack it was starting to feel slightly cramped.  
It had taken him a year to find a suitable shipyard and another year with Angel's help to complete the designs and commission the build.  
Under Angel's supervision the build had progressed at record speed, but it had taken quite a bit of effort to enforce some of the unique design aspects, like the single pane window for the bridge where the shipyard designers were concerned that it would be unable to meet safety regulations.  
It was one of the reasons there were now traveling to the shipyard, to hand in material samples, all the windows would be made from Sanctuary crystals, ultra durable and light as well as glare and reflection free.  
They would also be supervising the installation of the computer core as well as the optical network, sensors and holographic systems that would allow Angel full access and control over the vessel.  
Sanctuary crystals would also be added into the structure of the yacht and specialized crystals would be placed along the keel that would grow to coat the hull, making it nearly indestructible as well as prevent any corrosion, or buildup, to tarnish it.  
These additions would be much easier to make while the ship was still in dry dock.  


It would also be an opportunity to tighten the bonds within the pack, and allow Hugin and Munin time to get used to life at the island as they would be staying there while Takeshi took his pack to find Atlantis.  
Hugin had not been happy when Takeshi told them that he wanted them to stay behind and watch over his house and it had taken Takeshi over two weeks to get him to return from his raven form.  


“Takeshi iero, do you have a moment to spare?”  
Takeshi was just about to grab the bags that Sarah and Maria had brought out when Munin called for his attention.  
“Munin, what has you all formal?”  
”Melissa...”  
“Ah, Lissa is getting under your skin, is she?”  
“Indeed she is.”  
“Is it the calling?”  
Takeshi had seen the way Munin looked at Melissa and it was obvious that he was interested in her.  
“It is, but she does not seem to feel it.”  
“Lissa was the first person I changed, and she was on the brink of death when I did. I don't know if that has anything to do with it, but she is not as strong as the rest of us, she's unable to use hybrid forms and her instincts don't hold the same sway. She might not be able to feel the calling.”  
“I couldn't help noticing, she has not been through her first rite...”  
Munin was confused, and Takeshi could understand him, if Melissa had been a demon she would have had her first rite several years ago.  
“You are forgetting that we are not actually demons, very few human cultures adhere to first rites. Most of our cultures have a legal age of consent, any youth past that age is considered ready to engage in a sexual relationship, though it's common with certain restrictions for age difference for those who have yet to reach their majority.”  
“So it would not be inappropriate for me to pursue her?”  
“No, she has reached her majority.”  
“Do I have your permission to pursue her?”  
“Munin, you don't need my permission for that, you need her permission.”  
“She is of your house, I serve your house, it would be inappropriate not to ask.”  
“You and your brother may have served House Shamarai while we were in the Obsidian Halls, but Lucifer released you of those vows. When I brought you with me here I didn't bring you to be servants. I brought you to be friends, and family. You are House Shamarai, should you accept.”  
Munin looked at him with wide eyes and Takeshi could hear the telltale chirps of confusion and surprise.  
“Just be careful with her, you know what she has been through.”  
“Of course, you have my word.”  
“Well, off you go. Go steal her heart. Show her the skies.”  
Takeshi gave Munin's mashen a quick brush before gently shoving him toward the lagoon where Melissa was helping the others pack the Tiamat.  
“Take, one last thing. A favor if I may?”  
“Oh? Go ahead.”  
“Could you please try to get my dear brother out of whatever tree he's sulking in this time?”  
Munin's deadpan delivery made Takeshi chuckle and promise he would try his best.  


“Hugin, are you going to sit in that tree all day and refuse to let me say a proper goodbye before I leave?”  
The rattling caw that answered him sounded decidedly like the raven version of the riot act, but the underlying song of Hugin's soul made Takeshi smile.  
“Now now, if you talk to me like that I might start thinking you don't like me anymore.”  
Turning his back as if he was about to walk away Takeshi struggled to hide his smile when he heard the rustle of wings as Hugin left the tree and moments later Takeshi felt claws dig into his shoulder as the raven landed and began to peck at his ear.  
Reaching up Takeshi ruffled his feathers and tried to distract Hugin from abusing his ear to badly.  
“As much as I enjoy having my adorable little raven abusing my ear, how about you return to being my sweet, black winged, angel instead?”  
The suggestion was rewarded with a cheeky caw and another attack on his ear, but the shift in his aura told Takeshi that Hugin would change back soon.  
By the time they reached the lagoon Hugin had returned to his true form but he was still acting rather subdued, even when Takeshi gave him a kiss goodbye he barely responded.  
“Hugin, I want you to look after what is mine, to protect that which is important to me. Will you do that for me?”  
As he spoke Takeshi brushed Hugin's bangs out of his face so he could see his eyes and after a few moments Hugin's gaze rose to meet his.  
“I will...”  
Takeshi brushed his fingers through the fine feathers of the mashen and whistled his gratitude before shifting and flying out to the Tiamat where his pack was waiting.  


 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Leviathan_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


“Now Maria, how would you suggest white place their next stone to get out of this situation?”  
Takeshi was enjoying teaching the finer points of _Go_ to the twins, testing their ability to spot and avoid popular traps.  
“That's very good, did Angel teach you that one?”  
“No, Eriko did.”  
“It's a very strong move. But, what if I do this?”  
Takeshi placed one of his black stones to attack from a new angle and Maria's eyebrows scrunched up in concentration, trying to figure out how to stop him.  
Looking to the second board he responded to Sarah's attack on one of his clusters by taking the corner he had been aiming for, and he had to admit a certain pride when she whistled a curse in the language of the Obsidian Halls for falling into his trap.  
“Sarah, as proud as I am for you picking up on the Obsidian language, that was not appropriate language for a lady, or a little girl.”  
_“Gomen ne...”_  
“Sarah...”  
Takeshi scolded lightly, if she was going to speak Japanese with him he would have her do it properly.  
_“Gomen nasai.”_  
“That's better, now focus on the lesson here. What did you learn from that move?”  
“Never trust Daddy when playing go?”  
The cheeky counter had him laughing and ruffling her hair before turning back to the game with Maria.

“That's good, now how about these readings here.”  
Takeshi drew Amanda's attention toward one of the screens on the bridge that displayed a wide range of meteorological data, including barometric pressure, air and water temperatures, humidity and detailed wind direction and speed, most of the data courtesy of the Tiamat's LIDAR system.  
Usually Angel would assess all the data, clean it up and display it in an easy to read manner, but Takeshi wanted Amanda to learn how to read the raw data so now they were looking at a nearby weather front.  
A tropical storm was brewing northeast of their position, fortunately all the data indicated that it would be heading east toward Japan while their path was south-southeast toward New Zealand.  
“This is going to be a really bad one, isn't it? Maybe we should put in a call to Tokyo?”  
“Yes, it will be a class 5 by the time it makes landfall. But don't worry, Angel has already relayed the data to the JMA.”  
“What about that boat over there? It doesn't seem to be very large and it's right in the path of the storm.”  
Takeshi looked at the small blip at the edge of the map display that had Amanda concerned and he had to agree, it looked like it might be in the path of trouble if it maintained its heading.  
“Angel, do you have an ID on that vessel?”  
“It's registered as the _Luna_ , home port is Los Angeles. Her classification is a schooner, 20 meter LOA. Minimal engine capacity, maneuvering thrusters only.”  
Angel quickly gave the details about the ship and it had Takeshi concerned, it was very risky for a boat that size to remain in the path of such a massive storm. Especially since she had no real engines and would be unable to use her sails in such harsh winds.  
“Your assessment of its chances of making it through the storm safely?”  
“Very low I'm afraid. If she does not break south she is almost certain to end up in distress.”  
“We need to get her on the line and make sure she is aware of the weather.”  
It took a few minutes for the Luna to respond but once she did Angel turned the channel over to Takeshi.

“This is captain Paul of the Luna, what can I do for you?”  
“I'm Takeshi of the Tiamat. Are you aware of the severe weather forming due west of your location?”  
“I can't see anything, are you sure?”  
“Very, you will have a class four or five typhoon incoming in a few hours. You are directly in its path.”  
The information was received with some rather colorful language as the captain of the Luna looked at the data that Angel had sent him.  
“You must have some really nice hardware at hand, think you could get on the horn to Tokyo for me and request a rescue? I won't make it out of the path of that storm in time and my own radio is damaged. I was barely able to pick up your transmission.”  
While the other captain spoke Takeshi was looking at the holographic images that Angel was displaying, showing that the Tiamat would be able to reach the Luna ahead of the storm and tow her south, clear of the storm's path.  
“Of course. But if I may make a suggestion. The Tiamat has some very serious engines, if you break south now we could rendezvous with the Luna and use our engines to tow you out of the path of the storm. And if we can't make it clear in time we can at least take you and your passengers on board for safety.”  
It would be cramped as the Luna listed having eight souls on board, but Takeshi wouldn't feel comfortable just leaving them out there, especially since the chances of anyone else reaching them before the storm were slim.  
The suggestion was met with a few minutes of silence before captain Paul came back on the radio and informed them that he would break south and make best speed.  
“Angel, track the Luna and get us to her as fast as possible please.”  
“Hai!”  
Takeshi could feel the protective energy rise around them as Angel powered up the Tiamat's engines further than they had ever been outside of the stress tests they had run.

Feeling the barrier rise the others quickly joined him on the bridge.  
“Take, what's going on?”  
Emelie ushered the twins over to Jenna before stepping up to Takeshi's side so she could look at the screens.  
“There is a massive storm brewing and we are changing heading to intercept a sailing vessel to get them out of harm's way as they are too small to be able to handle the incoming weather, and too slow to be able to get out of its way.”  
“I see. I'll make sure the girls are strapped in. Dan, would you and Jenna make sure all the cargo and the galley is secure?”  
“Of course.”  
The pair hurried into the interior of the Tiamat to make sure nothing could shift or toss.  
“I'm guessing you and Logan will be doing an extra check on the cranes and davits?”  
She turned to Takeshi who was happy that Emelie was finally feeling more comfortable with taking charge and acting like the alpha she was.  
“Indeed.”  
“Well then, get going! I will keep an eye on the twins, Manda can monitor the Tiamat and the storm with Angel's help, and they will keep you updated if anything needs your attention.”  
“Oh, bossy. I like it!”  
He stole a teasing kiss before dodging out of range of her tail with a laugh.  
“Come on big guy, let's make sure we can pull the Luna out of harms way without taking any undue risks.”  
“Coming.”  
A quick glance to the twins showed them already working on strapping themselves into their seats, life jackets properly in place.

They caught up with the Luna faster than anticipated as Angel had pushed the Tiamat's engines very close to their limit.  
“Now that's a sweet boat! She's gotta be able to do like 40 knots, right?”  
The captain of the Luna, Paul, was staring rather wide eyed at the Tiamat as they pulled alongside the smaller sailing vessel.  
“Actually her top cruising speed is 70 knots, we topped out at just over 95 on our way here, but that's seriously straining the engines in this sea.”  
The original engines of the Tiamat had only been capable of about 30 knots top speed and just over 20 knots cruise speed, the updated engines when he first obtained it topped out at 50 knots with a 40 knot cruise speed, just as Paul had estimated, but with the addition of a Sanctuary crystal power source, hull coating and a few other modifications they had greatly increased the speed of the Tiamat.  
“Ah, a true goddess of the sea.”  
Paul kept chatting on about technical specifications and boats in general while they maneuvered the Tiamat in front of the Luna and used the Tiamat's tender to connect the lines from the Tiamat's davits to the Luna's bow mooring lines to use as improvised tug lines, the controls of the davits giving them an extra layer of safety and control.  
Meanwhile the catamaran tender would be connected to the Luna's stern to act as a support rudder if needed, and to keep her from drifting into the Tiamat if they had to reduce speed.  
“Are you sure those lines will hold? They look kinda flimsy.”  
“Don't worry, they are made with kumo-silk, This can easily handle ten times as much as the 50mm specialty blend the cruise ships use.”  
“Looks like quarter inch double braided, and with such strength, must be pure kumo-silk, and must have cost you a fortune...”  
“It is, and it did. Not to mention taking over a year to have them made to spec.”  
Paul gave the Tiamat a longing look and Takeshi could hear a soft sigh hidden under the wind.  
“You wouldn't happen to be looking to hire an experienced captain?”  
The tone was intentionally kept light and joking, but Takeshi could feel that there was hope hidden beneath, the man truly wanted to change boats.  
“Actually I am, how are your engineering skills?”  
Takeshi kept his own tone light and focused on reading the other man's reactions.  
“Out of date, but I don't mind some serious cramming if it gets me a better job.”  
Takeshi could easily tell he was being honest.  
“Oh. You don't like the Luna?”  
“Don't get me wrong, she is an amazing boat, but she is cursed with a not so great owner.”  
While they worked on getting the Luna out of harm's way Paul explained that the owner was a showoff, he would put a lot of money into keeping the exterior of the Luna in top shape, like a well polished gem, but he would cut corners and pinch pennies when it came to maintenance that didn't affect how she looked.

“I'm headed to New Zealand to oversee the final stages of construction on my new yacht. She will be a wavepiercer like this one, but a lot larger, 125 meter LOA and 20 meter beam. And I could use an experienced captain and a few hands to run her.”  
Takeshi could tell that despite his youth, Paul was of an old breed of captains, the kind of captains that truly cared for the ships they served on, and he felt trustworthy.  
He would of course be properly vetted if he were to be hired, but so far Takeshi had a good feeling about him.  
“That sounds really tempting, you obviously take really good care of your boats.”  
“How about this, Angel will send you some maintenance manuals for the Leviathan and you can study them, and maybe help me look for a few sailors you think has what it takes to crew her. Then we can set up a meeting after we return home.”  
“Sounds good. Where is home by the way?”  
“An island off of Hawaii that we own.”  
Paul went wide-eyed once again.  
“You own an island? Should I know who you are?”  
“We do, and not really. You might know of my sister though, Kasumi Kiryu.”  
“Whoa, wait. You are Takeshi Kiryu, the guy who took down the GCTI?”  
“I am.”  
Takeshi was aware that revealing that could go sideways, but better now than later.  
“Now I really want to change jobs. But I suggest you don't let the owner know who you are, he lost a lot of money when the GCTI went down. And he might just refuse your help if he finds out.”  
Takeshi did notice that Paul was giving him rather suspicious glances, no doubt doubting his words due to the fact that he looked a lot younger than he should.  
“Man I can't, I gotta ask. Don't take this the wrong way, but aren't you a bit too young to be that Takeshi Kiryu? Maybe his son?”  
Takeshi took a deep breath, he had hoped to wait a bit with the big revelations but it seemed he had no choice now.  
“Come.”  
With a nod he asked Knight to keep an eye on the towing before leading Paul into the Tiamat to show him the truth.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Leviathan_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


“Daddy, we're bored!”  
They were having a short break from yet another meeting about the specifications of the Leviathan and the twins took the time to voice their complaints about the long meetings.  
“I know sweetie. Just hang in there two more hours then we will head out to the reefs so you can swim and dive, all night if you want to.”  
_“Can we practice flying when we get there?”  
“If you promise to be careful.”  
_With the silent promise the twins cheered up and returned to quietly playing their games in the corner.  
Takeshi silently wished he was merely bored like the twins, not annoyed and frustrated to the point where Dan was tiptoeing around him and both Emelie and Knight were buffering his temper.  
The certification agent was giving them a lot of grief over some of the design details, like the large window panes, or the low dimension of the lines used for mooring and anchor, despite having been provided with detailed test results of all the components.  
Thankfully Angel had grown very skilled at dealing with bureaucrats, and with a few thinly veiled threats of legal actions she had finally managed to get them to sign off on everything.

“Ah, Mr Kiryu, there you are.”  
For a brief moment Takeshi considered just shifting and getting the hell out of there.  
The shipyard's owner had his niece working for him as a secretary, and the young woman had been hitting on him from day one.  
She was pretty enough, but he couldn't stand women who intentionally tried to seduce men they believed to be taken.  
Had she done her flirting openly, in front of Emelie he wouldn't have minded, but she would wait until the others weren't there before trying.  
“You smell amazing! What is that cologne you are wearing?”  
She was pressing herself against him, all but rubbing her half exposed breasts against him.  
Taking a short sniff reminded him of the second reason he wasn't particularly interested in her, underneath her cloying perfume she smelled of at least ten different men, a few of which he recognized as being married coworkers.  
While he himself had six partners, not counting any temporary fancy he found on their travels, he was open about it, all aware of each other but he knew from overheard conversations that she was not open about her exploits.  
“And you smell like a whore.”  
He quipped as he pushed her away and began walking toward the reception lobby where he could sense his pack gathering.  
He knew she shouldn't, but he had tried turning her away nicely, and not so nicely, and quite frankly he was fed up with her.  
The outraged spluttering behind him brought out a rather smug grin.

Proper? Hell no!  
Crude? Damn straight!  
Enjoyable? Oh yeah!

“Damn Take, you need a shower!”  
Dan was the first to complain when Takeshi joined them but the others quickly agreed, the twins sneezing and hiding their faces in Emelie's skirt.  
“I know, sorry guys.”  
“If she's going to try to steal others' men, she really should wear a less obvious perfume, and a lot less of it.”  
Emelie's musings made the others chuckle, and add their own quips about their opinion of the secretary.  
“Okay guys, that's quite enough, the girls are learning plenty enough crude language as it is.”  
Though trying, Takeshi's scolding words failed to relay any actual heat.  


Back at the Tiamat Takeshi hurried to the shower, eager to get rid of the cloying perfume that stuck to his clothes and body.  
Leaning back against the wall of the shower he let the steaming hot water rinse away the special demon soap that effectively purged all foreign scents from a person, allowing their natural scent to bloom.  
He would of course be swamped by his pack when he stepped out, all of them instinctively wanting to get their scents back on him, usually he would use a less harsh soap that left traces of the packs cent on his body, but right now getting rid of the offensive perfume was more important than avoiding the hassle of reapplying the scent-marks.  
While he waited for the last trace of the woman's scent to disappear he thought back to the past month, it had taken quite a bit of effort to clear all the design quirks of the Leviathan with the proper authorities, not to mention the insurance company.  
Captain Paul had contacted him mid third week to ask if he had any objections to hiring women for the crew and Takeshi quickly informed the captain that he couldn't care less as long as the person was skilled and reliable.  
As an afterthought he had added that any prejudice against the relationships of his pack would not be tolerated, he didn't care, neither did Knight, but Dan, his sensitive Dan, would be bothered by it and Takeshi would not allow that.  
For now the plan was to relax for a week, then return to the shipyard and oversee the installation of the new components which was estimated to keep them there for another month, then back home for another two months before taking the blackout back to the shipyard to pick up the Leviathan and head back to the island.  
Once there they would add the more extreme Sanctuary crystal modifications and stock up before heading to the Mariana Trench, and the Challenger Deep where Stormborn said the entrance to the Atlantis maze was located.  


The sound of the sliding door to the shower opening brought Takeshi from his musings and he was somewhat surprised that it was Dan joining him and not Emelie.  
Takeshi didn't move though, instead he opted to greet Dan with a slightly questioning brush of aura.  
“She suggested I take the opportunity to get some alone time with you before we reach the reef.”  
When Dan stepped into the flow of water Takeshi just leaned his head back, inviting him to further explore the fine balance of dominance and submission, Lucifer had been right about the value of learning to let go of some of the control, the pleasure in allowing someone else a more dominant position.  
“Mmm...”  
Takeshi could feel his own breath turning shallow and somewhat unstable as it became increasingly rapid and his heartbeat followed suit.  
“Ah... No need... To be gentle....”  
Takeshi was struggling not to dig his claws into Dan's arms and demand control back but he managed to keep his touch light, relying on the wall of the shower for support as Dan's claws emerged and began to bite into his skin.  
When Dan pushed him down slightly and bit into his right shoulder Takeshi couldn't hold back a groan as he found himself painfully hard.  
“Now who's eager?”  
Takeshi just growled at Dan's teasing and pushed down lightly on his shoulders, trying to urge him to take care of things but Dan seemed more than happy to let him suffer for a while, testing his control.  
By the time they left the shower and joined the others their scents were once again thoroughly entwined and the moment Takeshi stepped out on the deck the twins took a whiff at him and pounced, rubbing their faces into his neck and stomach.  
The others had a bit more control, but only a little bit and he quickly found himself at the bottom of an impromptu dog pile.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Leviathan_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


“ _Manda, would you keep an eye on the twins please?”  
“Of course.”  
“Let them swim themselves tired if they want to.”  
“Oh, planning an interesting night?”  
“Always.”_  
Takeshi ended the conversation with a teasing brush of aura before heading to the surface, he needed to talk to Dan.  
He had been thinking about his relationship with Dan a lot the past few years, even more so after changing Jenna and the new level of interaction between them since.  
It still wasn't love, but Takeshi could feel that something had changed, learning to allow Dan to take control had changed something deep within and it had deepened their bond significantly.  
In the end Takeshi had made up his mind, he would ask Dan if he would allow a courting.  


“Dan, would you join me please?”  
With a nod Dan followed Takeshi into the Tiamat and the captain's office.  
Sliding the door closed Takeshi could feel a nervous energy building inside the warded room.  
“We need to talk, about us, about what has changed.”  
A trickle of fear snuck in over the bond when Takeshi motioned for Dan to sit in the small couch in the corner.  
“I'm sure you have noticed that I have changed somewhat since my return, and that that change has altered our bond.”  
Dan's shoulders tensed noticeably before he gave a short nod.  
“It's still not love, not the love you deserve. But I was hoping you would agree to allowing me to formally court you.”  
“What?”  
Pure shock traveled over the bond and beyond the single word Dan just sat there staring at Takeshi.  
“In demon culture a courtship is a mix between dating, and getting engaged. An opportunity to get to know each other, to see if you can find love but also a promise that if they find that they are a good match, if they find love, they will become mates.”  
“But, Em is your mate, your soulmate even...”  
Takeshi sat down next to Dan and brushed away the bangs that were covering the sparkling blue eyes.  
“I'm a pack creature, an alpha. It's in my nature to seek out more than one mate.”  
Leaning back he motioned for Dan to come closer and before long Dan was straddling him.  
“You know I don't care if you love me or not, I'd gladly be your mate anyway.”  
“I know, but I can't.”  
Takeshi kissed the underside of Dan's jaw in apology.  
“So what would this courting actually mean for us if I agree?”  
“Well, there wouldn't really be any change between us, other than a promise to become mates if I ever find myself truly in love with you. But the courting marks would let others know that you are claimed, and that you have a claim on me as well.”  
“And how long does a courting last?”  
“There really aren't any rules, about 100 years is common among demons. But how about we make it until we either mate, or you reject my mark, maybe in favor of someone else's?”  
The teasing tone was instantly replaced by a startled yelp when Dan actually leaned in and gave Takeshi's ear a light nip in reprimand.

“That will never happen! I will always be yours! Only yours!”  
“No! **Never** promise me that! Swear to me that you never will!”  
The sudden flare of Takeshi's aura made Dan freeze and submit totally.  
“But...”  
Takeshi placed a finger over Dan's mouth while stopping him from moving away, keeping him in the more dominant position.  
“Dan, I know you can feel the recognition. That feeling that tells you I'm a true match. But there is always a chance that you will come across your soulmate, and I refuse to get between a soul mating.”  
“I...”  
Dan's voice faltered and he struggled to find the right words.  
Takeshi's sudden burst of dominant energy has knocked him off balance and he was trying to resist the demand that he swear, it wasn't _command_ , or even _suggestion,_ it was something deeper, more primal, the urge to obey one's alpha.  
“I won't, I promise.”  
The moment Dan made his promise the force of Takeshi's aura seemed to vanish and then settle back into their usual give and take.

“So, do you accept? Or would you need more time to think about it?”  
Dan startled slightly when Takeshi spoke up, he had almost fallen asleep in his lap after the rather emotionally draining talk.  
“I... I think I'd like that. A lot... To accept I mean, not more time.”  
“Then let's do this, shall we?”  
Takeshi turned his head to the side, revealing his left shoulder where the mating mark Emelie had given him was proudly displayed, shimmering with her power.  
“So, how do I do this?”  
Dan looked at the offered flesh with confusion.  
“Trust your instincts, draw blood and infuse your power into the wound.”  
“Is it really okay? What if I damage Em's mark?”  
“Don't worry, the mark is alive, it can change, adapt and heal. She accepts you and so will her mark.”  
Takeshi felt Dan nod against his shoulder and a brief moment later fangs dug in and power flowed into him and just like with Emelie the power flow quickly transformed into a wave of intense pleasure that left him gasping for breath.  
“Wow, I felt that...”  
Dan was looking at him with wide eyes and a rather obvious blush.  
“Imagine feeling the full force of it.”  
Takeshi teased while leaning in and sinking his fangs into Dan's shoulder, pouring power into it while at the same time reaching for the power Dan had left, twining, merging and binding it all into a nearly unbreakable bond.  
Feeling Dan's reaction to the bonding made Takeshi smile, his own reaction had been very similar, though, it had been much stronger with Emelie.  
When they rejoined the others they were met by teasing and catcalls.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Leviathan_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


Securing Tiamat's tender to the small stone pier Takeshi was fighting a wide grin when he noticed the way Melissa was almost leaning against Munin's chest, and his wings arched around them, covering her slightly.  
The protective, and rather possessive, display from Munin was a good indicator that Melissa was accepting his advances.  
A soft caw drew his attention to his own little angel who was perching on top of one of the pier lights in his raven form.  
“Aren't you going to greet me properly?”  
Holding out his arms he beckoned Hugin to come down and join them and for once there was no sulking, instead he got a face full of feathers followed by arms full of angel.  
The soft caws and slight flutter in the wings told Takeshi that Hugin was begging for something, but unable, or unwilling to put it into words.  
Sliding his hand to the base of the wings Takeshi gave him a rather intense kiss that quickly settled the involuntary actions.  
“Better now?”  
The answering chirp carried a distinct tone of annoyance with a hint of amusement, but at least he didn't shift back to his raven form.  


“So, how did the girls behave while we were gone?”  
With the mortals of their household finally asleep they gathered in the garden to talk about their plans.  
“It was a bit rough the first week, but we managed to come to an accord of sorts. They do what they are supposed to and don't complain too much, and we don't hide the sweets and snacks, or have Angel disable their network access.”  
Hugin's list of punishments had the others laughing, the angels had quickly figured out the girls' soft spots and used them expertly to keep the girls in line.  
“Don't worry Take, I don't think there will be any problems while you are away.”  
“I didn't think there would be.”  


“So, what's next?”  
Kasumi refilled Takeshi's saké before leaning back to listen with mixed feelings.  
She was happy to see him build his own family, but she often found herself missing him, their bond was as strong as ever, but he was still distant.  
In their youth part of his focus had always been on the bond, on her, making sure she was safe, then during his time with the GCTI there had been his unit, but that thread of attention had always been there and it had come back in full in the time they had spent in Alaska before picking up Emelie.  
But now she rarely felt it, the bond was there, strong and true, but he had so many other things on his mind and a part of her resented it, jealous of the attention and care he showed his growing pack.  
“We keep training and preparing while we wait for the shipyard to complete the Leviathan. We will be vetting Paul and the rest of the potential crew so we can pick them up at the same time as the Leviathan.”

The plan was to train the crew while they added the finishing touches to the Leviathan, things that were unsuitable to let the builders know about, the full scope of the Sanctuary crystals, military technology and a few demon realm tricks, including a mistpool.  
There were several rooms deep within the ship that were dedicated to aquaponic gardens, another would be turned into a coop for a flock of itiri, complete with hatching-stones, there would also be a roost for the messenger bird and they would be bringing a shard of the egg so it, and its twin, could find their way to the ship.  
The Leviathan would be able to sustain it' crew and passengers for the most part, salt water would be purified by Sanctuary crystals for drinking water and salt for cooking and preservation, wastewater treated and used in the aquaponic system as a supplement fertilizer.  
Leftovers would be turned into compost for a few traditional grow-beds as some crops would not do well in the aquaponic system, the aquaponic would supply most vegetables as well as a base supply of fish, but fishing would be required in the long run to fully sustain the packs food requirements.  


“Em, you will go with Logan to speak to the river spirits tomorrow, we need to make sure all the arrangements are done, and some time to get used to the blending would probably be a good idea.”  
Since Emelie and Knight were unable to shift, or breathe underwater they needed to make some extra arrangements for them, they would bring breathing gear for everyone just to be on the safe side, but they had also spoken to a few river spirits during their time in the demon realm.  
These river spirits would possess Emelie and Knight, giving them the ability to breathe underwater, and also make them able to move through the water without problems.  
The spirits had agreed to assist them if they promised that they would do what they could to put an end to the pollution of the rivers of the human realm so that their kind could return there.  
As powerful as the river spirits were they were also very sensitive to impurities in the water where they lived, so sensitive that Emelie and Knight had to keep a strict diet, free from additives in order to keep their bodies pure enough for the spirits to possess.  
Fortunately their bodies would protect the spirits from any pollution present in the ocean water, and chances were that once they reached Atlantis the water would be pure enough for the spirits.  


“Take, could I have a moment please?”  
Melissa was a bit hesitant as she approached him, and Munin was downright hovering at her shoulder which made Takeshi very curious as to what she might want.  
“Of course Lissa, what's on your mind?”  
It took a while before she spoke, blushing vividly as she did.  
“Munin has asked to court me, but according to demon customs I'm still a minor until I have been through my first rites.”  
She paused for a moment to grab gold of Munin's hand.  
“Will you be my guide? I know Munin could be my guide, but, I would like it to be you Take.”  
“I would be honored to.”  
During their time in the demon realm Takeshi had been guide to many young females, and a few males as well, and he had learned to enjoy it very much.

At first his human sensibilities had rebelled against the idea of the adults teaching the young about sex in such a hands on way but as he learned more about the tradition of first rites he began to see the benefit of the idea.  
Instead of leaving it to chance with an inexperienced lover an adult would step in and guide the youth through their first time, making sure that they were not harmed, or caused harm,.  
Teaching them about pleasure, about the balance of give and take, helping them find their own likes and dislikes, and how to find what their partners liked or disliked.  
Takeshi had received many requests to act as guide but Brenna had been the first time he accepted, even though he was only there as an extra, Logan had been Brenna's true guide.  
But taking part in it had showed him a glimpse of it and he had found that he was good at it, and he enjoyed it very much.  
“I need to ask you a few things first though.”  
“Like?”  
“Well, would you like us to be alone, or would you like Munin to be there with us? Or maybe someone else, another female perhaps?”  
Takeshi and Munin both laughed at the utterly mortified look on Melissa's face when she realized Takeshi was serious about inviting someone else, about perhaps inviting a female.  
“I.. Is that really... I mean...”  
“Yes, it's okay, it's fairly common among demons, after all, there are a few things that only a male can teach, and some only a female can teach.”  
Melissa sat down in silence for quite a while before speaking up again.  
“Do you think Eriko would be willing to help?”  
“Oh, any particular reason why you would choose her?”  
“Well, Em is your mate, and you love both Manda and Jenna, it would just feel really awkward to ask them.”  
Takeshi just nodded, he could understand her reasoning for picking Eriko, and he had no doubt that the old fox would be happy to help, the foxes had a similar tradition where a young fox would be guided into adulthood when they gained their third tail.  
“I'll talk to her in the morning, but I'm sure she will be honored to participate.”

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Leviathan_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


As suspected Eriko had been delighted to be asked to be one of Melissa's guides, and even Matthews had agreed that it was a good idea, especially after what Melissa had seen done to her sister, she needed someone she trusted to guide her through it.  
When the weekend came Takeshi, Eriko, Melissa and Munin headed to the Sanctuary to give Melissa some privacy for her first rites.  
“Come here Lissa, have a bite to eat and try to relax.”  
Takeshi patted his lap but she didn't move until Munin gave her a slight nudge.  
“Try this, it's made with shiiza and should help you relax.”  
Takeshi offered her a piece of light purple wagashi made with shiiza leaves that Takeshi had prepared by hand into a deep purple matcha powder.  
“But, shiiza, isn't that the aphrodisiac?”  
“It is. But the effect won't be very strong. The leaves have the lowest concentration of the active substance, especially young leaves. You won't really notice the aphrodisiac effect, only a calming one.”  
After a few moments consideration she nodded and allowed him to feed her the sweet treat.  
“Oh, this is really good.”  
While Melissa made short work of the small wagashi pieces Takeshi began to trail kisses along her neck and shoulders while lightly brushing his fingers along her arms and legs, drawing the most delicious scent and enticing little sounds from her.  
“Mmm, so responsive. This is going to be a very enjoyable experience.”  
As he spoke he took the empty plate from her hands and handed it to Eriko who used her foxfire to move it out of the way.

“Turn around. Look at me.”  
Her reactions were a bit sluggish as he helped her turn around and straddle his lap.  
“That's it, open your eyes and look at me, look into my eyes. The eyes are the windows of the soul, it will help you know your lover.”  
When she opened her eyes and looked into his he could see that they were slightly unfocused and dark with lust.  
Without breaking eye contact he began to remove her blouse and bra, gently dragging his claws across her skin.  
“Go ahead, touch, explore, figure me out.”  
Takeshi invited her with a teasing smile and watched the emotions play in her eyes as she removed the top of his gi, watching lust and curiosity mix with a hint of fear.  
“There is no need to be gentle with me, I enjoy quite a bit of pain with my pleasure. While the line between pain and pleasure is a thin one, it's placement is different for everyone. My tolerance for pain is higher than most, and I enjoy more pain than most.”  
When she dug her nails into his chest he wanted to just close his eyes and lean back to enjoy the feeling, but he managed to resist and maintain eye contact.  
“Go ahead, use the power of the blessing, shift, use the strength. I can handle it.”  
With a ripple of power through her aura she shifted slightly, but with his eyes focused on hers he couldn't see what she had changed but when long slender talons dug into his shoulders it became obvious and the way her eyes widened at the slight involuntary buck of his hips made him smile widely.  
“I did that..?”  
She was murmuring to herself as she slowly dragged her talons along his skin.  
“Now, don't just give in to him and give him everything he's asking for. Tease him a bit, deny him what he is asking for, make him wait for his satisfaction.”  
Eriko's guidance made Takeshi growl, she was right of course, and he knew he would enjoy it immensely, but that didn't mean he wanted Melissa to stop what she was doing.  
“So, soft and gentle?”  
Breaking off eye contact she leaned in and began trailing soft kisses along the marks her talons had left on his skin.

With the eye contact already broken Takeshi closed his eyes and tilted his head back, focusing on enjoying her touch, letting the feelings it evoked bleed into his aura to help her feel what she was doing to him.  
Moving his hands down her hips he hooked his fingers into the waist of her skirt and tugged gently which instantly made her lift her hips to help him remove it and when she moved to remove his pants he simply focused on the shift and made them vanish.  
The feel of her heated skin against his own tested his control, but he refused to rush things, she needed to be allowed to move at her own pace.  
Takeshi groaned as she ground herself against him, it seemed she was determined to make it hard for him to remain in control and when she reached down and tugged on his briefs he almost lost it and he had a hard time bringing them into his shift.  
“Oh, damn!”  
Takeshi cursed as she slowly trailed soft kisses down his chest and stomach while her sharp talons dug into the inside of his thighs.  
When she moved back up into his lap he moved his hands back to her hips and tugged on the thin bands of her underwear, but she refused to move so that he could remove them so with a frustrated growl Takeshi allowed his claws to lengthen and cut the flimsy fabric away.  
It earned him a startled yelp, but the burst of pheromones that accompanied it was encouraging, she was very close to losing control as well.  
With Eriko guiding her she pushed down and despite everything, the blessing, all the preparations, Takeshi could smell a hint of blood but Melissa didn't seem to mind, or even notice.  
Keeping still and allowing Melissa control while she got used to him was quite a struggle, all he wanted was to toss her into the bedding and have his way, but his experience with Dan helped him maintain his focus.

When they returned to the house a week later Melissa and Munin were proudly displaying their courting marks, and Eriko was teasing them relentlessly.  


 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Leviathan_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


With a flare of power Takeshi made sure the bracelet was secured around Jenna's wrist before giving her a nod.  
“Okay, try shifting back now.”  
He could feel her aura shift and turn, but her body remained in its current form.  
“I can't. It's working.”  
While preparing for their search for Atlantis they had come across a small problem, Jenna was having a hard time maintaining a form able to breathe underwater so after a long conversation with the Mother they decided to create a charm that would block her ability to shift while active.  
“That's good, now focus on turning it off, then shift and turn it back on.”  
It took a few tries before she figured out how to trigger the bracelet without Takeshi helping her, and a few hours before she managed to turn on and off without disrupting her shifts, but Takeshi encouraged her to keep practicing.  
“I wish I could do this as easy as the girls do.”  
She complained with a sigh.  
“You are forgetting that we have done this longer than you, and the fact that they were very young when they changed made it easier for them to get used to it.”  
“I know... I just... I don't want to hold the rest of you back...”  
“Don't worry, you won't. We still have a few months to go before we are ready to head out and search. I'm sure you will have it under control by then.”  
Takeshi held his hand out for her and when she took it he pulled her to her feet before heading toward the bow of the Tiamat.  


The shipyard had called them two days ago to inform them that the Leviathan was ready for them so they were heading back to New Zealand to pick it up and once they had it they would be heading to Los Angeles to pick up captain Paul and his two friends for a final vetting and hopefully training for running the Leviathan.

 


	4. Interlude 2047

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Interlude 2047_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯) **  
**

“Well damn! And I though the Tiamat was one hell of a ship, but this baby, damn...”  
Paul was acting like the proverbial kid in the candy store as Takeshi showed him around the Leviathan, giving him a private tour before the applicants for the crew arrived, Takeshi had asked him to be at the dock two hours earlier than the rest.  
“This is the kind of ship that people would pay for a chance to crew on.”  
“Well, I hope you're right about that, because I'm planning on having our prospects help put the finishing touches on her.”  
“Wait, you're telling me she's not completed yet?”  
“There are still a few things left to add, things that can't really be done by the shipyard. Things we don't want to reveal that we have. We will also be replacing all the furniture, linens and such.”  
“Yeah, I was a bit curious about why you would use all the cheapest stuff..”  
“Simply put, I don't mind paying good money for good quality, but I refuse to pay hundreds, even thousands of dollars extra just to get a fancy brand or designer label on my items.  
“Guess that makes sense.”  
“Also, a lot of the stuff I'll be using simply is not possible to buy, at least not in this realm.”  
The last bit made Paul shake his head and mutter, but all in all, he was handling things rather well.  
Takeshi took a quick look at his watch and noted that they had half an hour before it was time to meet the other applicants.  
“Care to join us for a bite before we go meet the rest?”  
“Don't mind if I do.”  
“Excellent. Now, do you want to take the long way over to the Tiamat, or a shortcut?”  
“Umm, shortcut?”  
Paul's answer held equal parts curiosity and worry and when Takeshi silently called for Emelie and she stepped out of the shadows he jumped rather high.  
“Take her hand and she will bring you over.”  
“Oh well, here goes...”  
Paul held out his hand and Emelie quickly took it and brought him through the shadows and Takeshi followed.  
Takeshi had learned how to tap into his inner demon's abilities, but it took a lot of power to use them and he found that shadow traveling in the human realm was quite draining, and if he did it with a passenger it would leave him weakened for hours. **  
**

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Interlude 2047_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


When the door closed Takeshi sighed deeply and crossed another name off the list of applicants.  
The woman had looked promising until Dan came in to get a questionnaire form for one of the applicants that Emelie was talking to, out of habit Takeshi greeted him with a kiss and the woman's reaction had been instant.  
She didn't show anything outwards, but Takeshi could feel the revulsion flow through her aura and brush against his own, like cold, wet, slime, and he quickly wrapped his aura around Dan's to keep him from sensing it.  
It was one of the reasons he insisted on meeting all the applicants in person, to test them and make sure they would be a good fit.  
The current interviews were just a first culling, to remove anyone obviously unsuitable, those that made it through would be living on the Leviathan and help them replace all the furnishings, and would be further culled over the coming months.  


“Next!”  
Another woman entered the small office, she was in her 30ies and athletic built with long hair, but Takeshi noticed that she wouldn't look straight at him, and her bangs covered the left side of her face.  
“Name?”  
“Melanie Richardson.”  
Takeshi quickly brought out the papers she had filled out earlier as well as the file Angel had gathered on her and as far as he could tell her qualifications were excellent.  
“I see here that you were in an accident a few years back, anything that will affect your work performance?”  
He could feel a slight dread surface in her aura but after a few moments she seemed to steel herself against it.  
“Not my ability, no. But most don't want to hire me because of it.”  
Turning to face him completely she brushed away her bangs and revealed that the left side of her face was severely scarred and he could see a Lichtenberg scar trail down her shoulder and arm.  
“That won't be an issue here. I don't care about looks, I care about performance and reliability.”  
The woman had never been a beauty by any standards and her scar would be considered hideous by most, but Takeshi had learned to take a more demon view on beauty and her scar marked her as a survivor, a testament to a strong will and in the eyes of a demon that was something desirable.  
“Now, would you mind telling me, in your own words, what happened?”  
He had read the accident report, but he was well aware that such reports could easily be forged to lay the blame at the worker instead of the employer.  


“I had just started working as an engineer on the _Princess,_ she had been having some power problems so while we were still in harbor I took down the power supply grid to run a full diagnostic on the power cells. Turns out the problems had been ongoing for a while and instead of running a proper diagnostic on the system they had bypassed the safety protocols, even disabled several of the breakers to keep them from triggering.”  
She took a few deep breaths to steady herself before continuing.  
“Without the safety protocols and breakers the power cells didn't fully disengage, instead a overload built in the system and caused a plasma arc discharge. I was hit in the face and the energy dissipated down my left arm, I was lucky that a disabled breaker caused it to travel through my arm instead of my leg.”  
Had the power traveled down through her body and out through her leg it would probably have passed through her heart, killing her.  
“Will you be okay working with power systems?”  
“For the most part. I'm not as fast as I used to be. After the accident I developed a bit of an OCD for checking all the breakers, manual lock down and things like that.”  
“Quite understandable.”  
After a few more questions Takeshi added Melanie to the list of people that made it past the first round and informed her that she could move her things to one of the crew cabins on the Leviathan.  


Checking his list again he noted an unusually high number of female applicants, Paul had spread the word that Takeshi was looking to hire, and that unlike most other owners he had no objections to hiring women.  
Unfortunately many still refused to sail with a mixed crew, commonly citing logistic issues as the reason, things like extra showers and toilets or separate sleeping areas for men and women.  
Takeshi didn't see any reason for concern though, everyone would be properly vetted, and they would be informed that it would be a mixed crew.  
Many ships only offered group quarters with bunk beds stuffed into whatever space was available, sometimes as many as 12 or more crew members would be sharing a small cabin which could cause problems with a mixed crew.  
The Leviathan on the other hand had a selection of dedicated crew cabins, while small they were single bed cabins, the regular crew cabins came with a bed that folded into the wall and converted into a desk while not in use, a tiny cupboard kitchenette and a small bathroom with a toilet and shower.  
There was also a pair of larger officers' cabins with a regular bed, separate desk and a slightly larger bathroom, the captain's quarters was a full suite with a small sitting room, small office and a separate sleeping area as well as a full bathroom and a slightly more well equipped kitchen area.  


“Will there be a chapel available for prayer and mass?”  
“No. But if you are hired you can talk to the other crew members about setting aside a part of the common room for the use.”  
The man instantly began citing various California state regulations that required employers where the employees lived at the workplace to offer a place of worship, it was one of many new regulations in the wake of the new religious wave.  
With the increase in natural disasters and epidemics due to the imbalance of the realms organized religions had seen a massive increase, but unfortunately it had brought with it all the downsides as well with rampant bigotry and increased religious influence on laws and politics.  
There were several theonomic factions trying to gain political influence to fully re-merge church and state and it was one of the driving factors behind the increased unrest spreading across the world.  
Takeshi had nothing against faith, but he didn't like the way some factions were trying to force their beliefs on others, for instance the demand that employers provide chapels or prayer rooms, demanding that anything _offensive_ to their belief such as adult entertainment, alcohol, certain food items such as pork or shellfish be removed, or outright outlawed.  
A common demand was also to outlaw same sex relationships, premarital sex, abortion, even contraceptives and impose harsh punishments on those and many other things like adultery and working on the sabbath.  
There was also an increase in demands that only those that adhered to religious doctrine would be allowed to run for public office or even vote.  
“Those are California regulations, the Leviathan sails under the Marshall Islands flag.”  
“That's illegal! US citizens are not allowed to register their ships under a flag of convenience.”  
“That is correct. But I happen to be a Japanese citizen and fully within my right to register my ship under a flag of convenience.”  
The man continued to argue, and threaten to call the authorities until Takeshi asked Knight to have him removed from the Leviathan, needless to say he would not make it to the second round of selections.  


“ _Are you sure you want to do this Dan? I can have Logan do it instead.”  
“No it's fine, I can do it. I need to work on my insecurities anyway.”_  
They had decided to give a bit of a show during the lunch break to see how the applicants reacted, to help weed out any that objected to the relationships of the pack.  
_“Then come here.”_  
Part of Takeshi's attention was on the group of people waiting for the break to end as he pinned Dan against the nearby wall and kissed him senseless.  
As expected the reactions were mixed and Takeshi focused on pinpointing the negative reactions so that those applicants could be dismissed right away.  
_“Seems like some of them enjoy the show, listen.”_  


“Oh, my. Look at that...”  
“Now that's hot.”  
“Makes me want to trade places.”  
“Oh, which one?”  
“Both... I mean, who wouldn't wanna be kissed like that? Or have someone respond like that to your kisses?”  
“Never mind the kissing, imagine the sex.”  
Takeshi could feel Dan's skin heat up with his blush at the comments, and he couldn't resist sliding his hand down to Dan's hip and pull him closer which caused a few whoops and catcalls.  
But not everyone was appreciative of what they were seeing, voicing opinions about how it was immoral, unnatural, sin and sacrilege, voices that were quickly silenced by the others, but not before Takeshi committed them to memory so that he could make sure they would not make it to the next round of the recruiting.  
“That's just disgusting...”  
“Oh. shut up will you. That is plain sexy.”  
“It's an abomination!”  
“Enough!”  
The group startled as they had not noticed Emelie's approach.  


“You, you and you. Get out of here!”  
Pointing at those that had been voicing their dislike she made it very clear that they were not welcome anymore and that they could forget about any chance of being hired.  
“Anyone else that agrees with them can leave right now as well, we will find out sooner or later.”  
There was some grumbling as expected but when one of them likened Emelie to the _Whore of Babylon_ things went slightly sideways as she nailed him square in the jaw and sent him flying into the pool.  
“Logan, would you be a dear and get rid of the trash in the pool please?”  
“Of course.”  
There was quite a bit of laughter as Knight used the life hook to fish the cursing man out of the pool and carry him by the scruff of his neck and dump him on the passerelle.  
“Damn, that was one wicked uppercut.”  
“Ms Eriksson, would you teach me to punch like that?”  
“I might, if you promise to call me Em or Emelie, not Ms anything and definitely not Emmy, is that clear?”  
“Crystal.”  
With one last look at the group Emelie sauntered over to Takeshi and Dan, gave Dan a quick peck on the forehead before taking a good grab of Takeshi's ass and hair, pulling him down for a proper kiss that caused another round of cheering and catcalls.  


At the end of the day the 57 applicants had been narrowed down to 26 that would join them back to the island for further culling.  
They would be living on the Leviathan while helping with the finishing touches, and testing of the various systems to make sure everything was working, including the dock that was currently being constructed at the _back_ of the island.  
While the lagoon was large enough to easily fit the Leviathan the problem was getting it into the lagoon, it's beam too wide and it's draft too deep to get past the corals beneath the surface. **  
**

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Interlude 2047_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


“Take, do you have a moment?”  
Takeshi looked up from the sleeping twins to the slightly nervous man.  
“Go ahead Chris, just keep your voice down so you don't wake them.”  
“I know you made it clear that no special benefits will be given for religious practices, but I was wondering if I could borrow one of the unused cabins for a few days as a prayer room. My grandmother is at her deathbed and I would like a chance to pray, to be with her in spirit.”  
“If you want to I can take you to her in one of the Blackouts so you can be there in person.”  
“I'm grateful for the offer, but I can't. I love my grandmother, but the rest of the family won't allow me to be there. I didn't feel comfortable following their increasingly fundamentalistic and extreme practices and beliefs. Instead I went down a more spiritual path which they refuse to accept.”  
Takeshi shook his head slightly at the idea of rejecting family like that.  
“I see. What do you need in order to hold your spiritual vigil?”  
“A calm room where I can get some privacy. A few candles, some fresh flowers, and if possible some herbs or incense to burn.”  
“Any specific flowers, herbs or incense if you could have your pick?”  
“Well, ideally white lilies and lotus for the flowers. Some yew, sandalwood and myrrh for incense.”  
“I think that can be arranged. If you could go find Em or Logan to watch over the girls I'll give you a hand.”  
Takeshi could just have called for them himself, but it would give him some time to consider his options.  
Chris was one of the applicants that Takeshi had a good feeling about, along with Paul, Melanie, Joshua and Manuela and this request could be a good opportunity to show him some of the magic of the world.

“That is just adorable.”  
Chris was smiling widely as Knight took the twins from Takeshi and tucked them under his chin which made them instantly curl up and snuggle against him.  
“Indeed it is.”  
Takeshi motioned for Chris to follow him toward the central area of the Leviathan, the area that would be the den, a place for the pack to gather and rest and beyond it was a small room where a Sanctuary was forming.  
“What you are about to see is something you must never reveal to others, is that clear?”  
There was a hint of suggestion in Takeshi's voice to ensure Chris would listen and answer him truthfully.  
“I guess... Yeah.”  
Opening the door Takeshi took a step back to let Chris look inside, the Sanctuary was far from completed, but it was quite obvious already that it was not a normal place.  
“Wow! What is this place?”  
“This is a Sanctuary, or well, it will be once it is completed. A place of balance, of calm, a place to nurture the spirit. We have other Sanctuaries, larger ones, this one is just an oasis, a calm place while we are away from home.”  


Stepping inside Takeshi took a look at the progress they were making with it, since it was not connected to the earth they were not able to use a Seed of Life to create it, instead they had used regular crystal seeds like the ones the Mother had gifted to Emelie when they first moved to the island.  
At the back wall was a stone structure that had been shaped like a mountainside, complete with a waterfall that spilled down the side in several steps and gathered into a pool at the base before flowing into a babbling brook that disappeared into the foliage and to the hidden pump that brought the water back up to the top of the miniature mountain.  
At the top of the waterfall a bonsai tree sprawled and fell down in the cascade style, the bright red maple contrasting against the brilliant green moss that covered the rocks.  
The crystal clear water of the waterfall spilled into several small small pools with flowing mist before reaching the larger pool at the bottom where a handful of shamarai flowered.  
In the middle of the room there was a clearing that was large enough to comfortably fit the current pack, covered in soft moss and grass, there were no creatures in the Sanctuary yet, but there would be before they took off.  
“Did you carve all of those leaves yourself?”  
Chris was looking at the maple with wide eyes.  
“Actually, no. I grew it, encouraging it to grow the I wanted it to. It's alive, everything in here is, even the mist.”  
There was a long silence where Chris was just trying to take it all in.  


“This, it's magic, isn't it?”  
“It is. The magic of the Mother. The Avatar of Life.”  
The almost childish wonder on Chris face made Takeshi want to show him the Sanctuary of the island, show him the creatures that lived there, but that would have to wait until he was sure about him.  
“It's beautiful, and so calm. It's perfect. Is it really okay for me to use this place?”  
“This is the purpose of its existence. To offer peace of mind, to calm the spirit and soothe the soul. Just don't touch the mist, it can be rather strong willed and might take you over.”  
As he spoke Takeshi scooped up a tiny wisp of mist and motioned for Chris to hold out his hand.  
“It's okay, I will keep it from taking over completely.”  
Takeshi allowed Chris to feel the power of the mist for a while before forcing it to return to his hand.  
“That was, different. Not something I want to experience again, so I'll stick to that piece of advice... Though, would it be possible for me to be allowed to pick one of those lotus flowers?”  
“Those are actually not lotus, they are shamarai, moon flowers. Their name, _Shamarai_ is written with a character that can be read as spirit, or hope.”  
“Never heard of anything like it before, is it another magic related thing?”  
“It is, the flower is not from the human realm.”  
“So it's a no then?”  
“Yes, and no. I can't allow you to pick one of these. But I can bring one in a container for you by tonight. One that you can bring with you as a memory.”  
“Really?”  
“Really.”  


Leaving Chris in the small Sanctuary to get a feel for the place, Takeshi headed to the island to collect the items he had asked for and to create a suitable container for a shamarai flower. **  
**

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Interlude 2047_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


“Onee-chan, mind if I raid your incense box a bit?”  
Takeshi popped his head into the garden where Kasumi was helping the girls with their lessons.  
“Of course not. What's the occasion?”  
“Chris wants to hold a vigil of sorts for his grandmother, she is on her deathbed.”  
“Wouldn't it be better to just fly him to her?”  
“I offered, but apparently the rest of the family would refuse him to be there.”  
The mutterings that followed were far from flattering as she voiced her opinion, and Takeshi agreed with her wholeheartedly.  
“Anything else he might need?”  
“Some white lilies, if you could find the seeds I'll have Em grow them along with a shamarai.”  
Hugin and Munin had given Takeshi with a fairly large box of shamarai seeds as a naming gift after Lucifer made him House Shamarai and with Emelie's help several of them had been grown in the inner garden and the Sanctuary.  
Takeshi intended to make an amphora and a stand from Sanctuary crystal, some crystal soil and some of the sand and water that Emelie had collected at the lakes and one of the life giving crystals from the Sanctuary in the lid to make sure the flower would thrive.  
Luckily the shamarai adapted its size to its environment, the twins each had one in their room that grew in a small goldfish bowl and the flowers were only a centimeter in diameter, the ones in the Leviathan Sanctuary roughly 10 centimeters while the ones growing in the garden and Sanctuary pond were roughly 30 centimeters across, and the largest ones he had seen at the Silver Lakes had flowers over a meter across and leaves spanning nearly three meters.  
While Kasumi headed off to search for the lily seeds Takeshi headed to her room for the incense.  
Opening the lacquer box he took out a few of the small, empty, glass vials then searched out the yew, sandalwood and myrrh containers and scooped up some of the grains into each of the vials and attached a small label to each.  
Bringing the vials together he took a careful sniff to see how the scents mixed and he found that something was missing and he quickly searched the box for something to complete the scent before picking up one of the carved stone burners.  
The small burners were crafted by one of the obsidian stone carvers complete with a fire stone lining that made it possible to burn the incense without adding the usual charcoal disks, allowing a purer burn.  


Takeshi was watching Emelie grow the small shamarai when Kasumi joined them and gave him a small sachet with lily seeds before dropping down into his lap.  
“She is getting really good at that.”  
“Indeed she is, but the twins are giving her a run for it. Another year or so and they will be expert little flora manipulators.”  
Kasumi couldn't help smiling at the pride she could feel surging through his aura.  
“You are building yourself quite the pack.”  
“They are all amazing.”  
“You have taught and guided them well.”  
“No, I haven't done much at all.”  
“You are selling yourself short dear _brother_ , you have given them safety, hope, a place to grow and thrive.“  
Takeshi just huffed at her and ruffled her hair.  
“You are all grown up now, a family man. I'm glad to see you are finally content, finding your place.”  
“I guess I am.”  
Takeshi shifted her around a bit so she was leaning back against his chest before tucking her head under his chin.  
“But I have really neglected my duties to you, haven't I?”  
“No. I released you from that oath long ago, even if you refuse to accept that. I just want a brother, and occasional lover, not a Kage.”  
There was a distinct snort from Emelie that told them she heard their conversation, but neither of them cared, if they wanted to keep something private they would just use the bond.  
“Still, I've been away a year, and the first thing I do is leave again for months at end, preparing to go away for an unknown time again.”  
“You are doing what you need to protect those you love, your family. Doing what it takes to fulfill the destiny you have been given.”  
There was a moment of silence as Takeshi tossed the small packet of seeds to Emelie who had just finished growing the shamarai.  


“And what about you, Onee-chan, how are you doing, found anyone, or anything you fancy?”  
“Not really. Still working on making sure we can take over the family assets without any issues.”  
“As grateful as I am for all you have done to make sure I don't need to worry about the finances, don't forget to live for yourself as well.”  
“I won't, I promise. But honestly, I quite enjoy life here, the girls keep me occupied, and entertained. I have missed having Logan around though...”  
“Oh, I bet you have.”  
_“Hentai!”_  
Kasumi's accusation carried a distinct tone of teasing amusement that made Takeshi retaliate by tickling her until she was begging for mercy.  
Due to her position as the sole blood heir of the Kiryu head family, Kasumi never had much choice of partners, there were a few she would occasionally share her bed with, but at the island those opportunities were even fewer.  
For a long time Takeshi had been her only option and when Knight joined them it had given Kasumi another outlet, another partner that had no expectations beyond a pleasant night, and that would never betray her trust.  
“You're right though. Logan has proven to be an excellent lover. He has given me something I wasn't really aware that I missed, not until he left again. As much as I enjoy sharing your bed the bond makes that different.”  
Leaning in Takeshi took a deep sniff at her neck.  
“Your scent, it's sad...”  
“Guess there's no hiding things from you anymore, is there?”  
“Care to share why?”  
He couldn't help a twinge of guilt, no matter what she said he had been neglecting her in favor for his pack, he should have noticed something was wrong.  
“Not really, but I have a feeling you won't be leaving me alone until I do.”  
“Indeed I won't.”  
Kasumi's answering huff made him smile despite the rather somber mood.  
“Seeing you with your pack, your own family, so content, even happy. It makes me wish I had a family of my own, children of my own.”  
“Someone to love, and be loved by...”  
Takeshi added softly when her voice trailed off and was replaced by a tension to her shoulders and a hint of salt.  
_“Hai...”_  
“When things calm down a bit, I want you to get a nice place in a major city, and move there for a few years. Meet some people, have some fun, get laid, live a bit. Leave everything else to Eriko and me.”  
“Maybe I'll take you up on that.”  
“You better, or I will find some other way to make sure you get out and around.”  
She responded with another slightly annoyed huff, but the sadness faded from her scent and was replaced with a more content scent, tinged with a hint of spicy annoyance. **  
**

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Interlude 2047_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


“Take, I hate to be a bother after all you have done, but could I ask for one last favor?”  
“Don't worry Chris, it's no bother. What do you need?”  
“I was wondering if someone might be willing to keep me company. No need to do anything, just be there. I... I really don't want to do this alone...”  
Chris aura and scent was heavy with shame and embarrassment which made Takeshi's senses itch.  
“There is no reason to be ashamed of that, we could all use some support at a time like this. I will be there, and will stay with you for as long as you want me to and I'm sure that Manda will be more than willing to join us as well..”  
“Thanks. I really mean it, this means a lot to me.”  
“Like I said, don't worry about it, We're happy to help.”  
Reaching out through the pack-bond Takeshi gave Amanda a gentle tug, asking her to join them in the main room.  


“Of course I will stay. I'd be honored to.”  
As expected Amanda instantly agreed to stay with Chris and Takeshi while Chris waited for word of his grandmother's passing.  
“It's settled then. Em or Logan will bring us food, and we will keep you company for as long as you want us to.”  
Takeshi checked his watch, it was still early so the twins would be with Eriko for their lessons.  
“Manda, why don't you give Chris a hand. Bring in something to sit on, one of the water coolers, some fruits, snacks and things like that while I go talk to the twins.”  
“Of course. And maybe you should have a word with Hugin as well, I saw him moping out on the jetty again.”  
“Don't worry, Hugin is fine. He sneaks off to the jetty to get away from the girls. To get some peace and quiet.”  
He could feel the angel at the edge of his awareness, slightly withdrawn, but calm and he couldn't feel anything to be concerned about, it was just Hugin being himself.  
He gave Amanda a gentle nuzzle of gratitude before heading off to talk to the girls, he was happy, and proud, that she was concerned about Hugin and that she stepped up to make sure he was okay.  


Amanda was starting to act the role of a beta, and Takeshi suspected that Emelie would pick Amanda as her own beta before long, something that would give the pack further stability.  
It would however always be slightly unbalanced since Knight was a natural alpha, he did okay in the role of beta, but a natural beta male like Dan would have given a better stability, this however was not possible since Dan would instinctively submit to Knight.  
As a beta, Dan had both dominant and submissive traits, he could be highly dominant when needed towards those of lower rank, while at the same time being naturally submissive toward an alpha.  
Though, Dan always stepped up and acted the role of beta whenever Knight wasn't around and the others accepted it without complaints, including Hugin and Munin, despite Hugin being a natural beta as well.  
Takeshi's pack was a bit unusual, normally a pack would consist of an alpha pair, a beta pair and the remainder of the pack being naturally submissive, if another alpha was born into the pack they would be forced out upon reaching sexual maturity, and those born betas would be suppressed, or rejected.  
Takeshi's pack on the other hand had three alphas, and Dan, Amanda and Jenna were all beta personalities, with Dan being a natural beta, with Hugin and Munin added only Munin was a natural submissive, it could change with the twins, but Takeshi suspected they would both turn out to be betas, but it was possible that one, or both, would turn out to be alphas.  


“Can we at least come by to say goodnight?”  
As expected the news that he would be unavailable for a while, possibly a few days, had the twins pouting and sniffling against his chest.  
“You can come by, but Chris might not want to be disturbed. And we are doing this for him so his word goes.”  
“Okay...”  
They tried to pull the bottom lip quiver scam, but their scents gave them away in an instant so Takeshi just gave them a teasing tickle before letting them in on what gave them away.  
“Now now girls, it's not nice to try to trick your alpha.”  
“Sorry!”  
The impish tone and smiles made it quite clear they were not the least bit sorry.  
“Okay, enough playing around. Back to your lessons.”  
Flexing his claws in the age old trickle-threat he chased the girls back to Eriko before heading back to the main room where Chris and Amanda were waiting for him.  


“All ready?”  
Chris jumped slightly when Takeshi spoke up and Amanda chuckled at him, she had been fully aware of Takeshi approaching them.  
“Damn! Wear a bell or something, will you!”  
“Nah, I quite enjoy startling people on occasion.”  
“I bet you do...”  
Despite the grumbled complaint, Takeshi's little stunt had the desired effect, the atmosphere was lighter and he could see Chris crack a hint of a smile.  
Takeshi took the vase with lilies and handed them to Chris before grabbing the box with the shamarai and incense.  


“These are the incense you asked for, I added a few more to complete the scent, to balance it.”  
Chris just nodded and took the vials and burner and set them down next to the lilies.  
“And this is the shamarai. The plant is fully self sufficient in the container, no need to add water or anything, not even light is needed, but natural sunlight will make it flower more.”  
He watched with a smile as Chris opened the box and carefully took out the amphorae.  
“It's amazing!”  
Bringing it up to his face Chris took a closer look at the small plant.  
“Wow, wait, there are even fish in here.”  
“Oh?”  
Taking a closer look Takeshi spotted several sea slugs, a few beautiful betta and some other small fish along with a few dragonflies.  
“Emelie must have added them to improve the balance.”  
“But won't they need things like food, and water changes, and if those are actually bettas, won't they fight?”  
“Don't worry. They are not really alive.”  
Takeshi motioned for Chris to sit down before he began to explain that the creatures were not really alive, not in the way normal animals were and that they would not grow old, or get sick or injured or die.  
They were capable of eating, even reproducing, but it was not required and they would be fine living in the container.  
“But if they can reproduce, and don't die, won't it get crowded?”

Chris seemed to be genuinely concerned about the well being of the tiny creatures.  
“Don't worry about that, if they reproduce the adult forms will shatter and its matter will feed the new creatures, and as they grow some will shatter to keep the balance. The shamarai will be much the same, one flower wilts and is recycled into a new flower.”  
“Seriously?”  
“Yes.”  
Chris shook his head slightly and focused back on the crystal container, obviously trying to wrap his head around what he had just learned.  
“Look, I know it's a lot to take in but if you are going to be working so closely to us, you need to know about all of this.”  
“I have always felt like there was more to the world, but this, this is just... Amazing.”  
“This is just the beginning. Trust me.”  


Instead of just being silent company, Takeshi and Amanda ended up talking to Chris most of the night, it was early morning when he received a message on the phone from his grandmother's doctor that she was close to the end.  
After receiving the message Chris went silent and tried to meditate, but he was having a hard time calming down.  
_“Take, I feel like I need to sing, do you think it would be okay if I do?”  
“I honestly don't know. You should try, see how he reacts.”_  
Takeshi trusted Amanda's instincts, if they told her to sing, then she should sing.  
She moved slightly before beginning to hum, then weave the haunting tones of her power as she slowly raised her voice.  
It was the same song she had sung during Diane's burial, and Takeshi could see the tension melt from Chris's shoulders and his aura settled down into the familiar pattern of a deep meditative state.  


Takeshi estimated it was around noon when a buildup of energy brought him out of his light slumber and looking up he saw the spirit of an old woman form by the mistpool, it was quite obvious that it was Chris's grandmother.  
“Chris, I think someone is here to see you.”  
“What?”  
The reply was sluggish as Chris roused himself from his deep meditation and looked up.  
“Grams?”  
The spirit just smiled and nodded.  
“How is this possible?”  
“This place is connected to all life, it's easy for a spirit to tap into that, to borrow that energy to cling to this realm long enough to say their farewell to a loved one.”  
Takeshi explained in a hushed tone, trying not to wake Amanda.  
“Grams, is that really you?”  
The spirit nodded again and held out her hand.  
“Is something wrong? If she is here to talk to me why isn't she saying anything?”  
“A spirit can't speak on it's own, you need to let it touch you, or have someone else act as a medium.”  
When Takeshi explained, Chris held out his hand to the spirit, and when the spirit took it it began to change, the wrinkly old woman slowly became younger until she was replaced by proud woman in her prime.  
Posture straight and shoulders squared, head held high and her eyes carried a hint of steel, a true matriarch.  
A few minutes later the spirit pulled back and nodded to Takeshi and Amanda before fading away.  


“That was... I can't... “  
Chris had been silent for nearly an hour before he finally spoke up, and he was still having a hard time gathering his thoughts into words.  
“Easy there. Focus on your breathing, calm and centered.”  
Takeshi recited some of the more basic points of meditation and it seemed to help as Chris took a few deep breaths before speaking up.  
“Did you know this would happen?”  
”No, but we knew it was possible.”  
“You have seen this happen before?”  
“I have, twice.”  
With Takeshi's admission the conversation quickly turned to living with loss and grief, his unit, Diane, to not being able to be there when Daisuke and Misato passed, not even being able to attend their funerals.  
At the end of the day Takeshi found that talking about it did help, that it had soothed the pain he had hidden deep inside. **  
**

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Interlude 2047_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


The work on the Leviathan was almost done and it was time to make the final selection for the crew, the remaining modifications were not something they wanted the rest of the applicants to see.  
Takeshi had gathered his pack, including Hugin and Munin, as well as Kasumi, Eriko and Matthews to make the final selection, though Takeshi was pretty sure the others would agree with most of his picks.  
He had decided he wanted, Paul, Chris, Joshua, Manuela and Melanie but he was unsure how the others would react to him picking Joshua.  
Joshua was a good man, but he was barely literate and rather slow and because of that most would brush him of as being a simpleton and a klutz, but Takeshi saw other traits that he liked.  
As far as Takeshi could tell Joshua was a hard worker, honest and caring, an excellent cook and didn't mind doing the heavy, or dirty work, he loved animals and he had experience with farm work.  
He might need more detailed instructions, and he was not suitable for complex, or delicate work, but there would be others on board who excelled in that kind of work.  
“So, final round. Angel, the list please.”  
Angels holographic display swirled to life and listed the 19 names that remained.  
“First of, any names on the list that you absolutely will not consider?”  
Takeshi had a few names he wanted off the list, but he would let the others speak first.  
“Rosie, she is lazy and rude whenever she thinks we're not watching. And she always tries to blame others when she fails to do the work she is supposed to do.”  
Dan was the first to speak up, and the others quickly agreed that they did not wish to have Rosie working for them, and Takeshi readily agreed, she was on the list of people that he would have removed himself if no one else did.  
“Tom, he's a misogynic asshole, always arguing and complaining whenever a female tells him to do something.”  
Jenna's complaint quickly had Tom removed from the list as well.  
“We need to get rid of Fred as well, have you seen how he looks at, and behaves toward, anyone not white?”  
She quickly continued before anyone else had a chance to speak up.  
“Indeed, he even sneers at Julia and Amber.”  
Knight's tone was harsh and it was clear he agreed fully.  
Two more names were quickly removed before they moved on to the names they wanted to keep.  


“So, Paul as captain, any objections?”  
Everyone quickly agreed that Paul had proven his worth at managing the crew and no one had anything against him.  
“Good, then that's settled. Angel, would you bring up the list Paul made as well please.”  
Takeshi had asked Paul to consider who he would prefer for the various positions.  
Moving down the list was slow work, there were many opinions and aspects to take into account but in the end they had a crew of six selected.  
Takeshi was happy that no one had any objections to his picks, including Joshua and in the end he had gotten all his names through, and he had agreed with the others to add Tessa as well.  


With the selection done Takeshi, Emelie, Knight and Dan headed back to the Leviathan to inform the crew, sign contracts, and send the others on their way.  
It wasn't entirely without trouble though as several of those rejected tried to question the selection process, in the end Emelie knocked Tom on his ass while Knight dragged Fred of the Leviathan and onto the shuttle ferry that they had rented to take them to Honolulu and their flight back to LA.  
With the reject applicants on their way back the focus shifted to signing contracts.  
Angel had worked up a basic contract and Takeshi had added a few personalized parts to the contracts, Joshua's contract for instance included a clause that he join the twins in their studies to work on his reading and writing.  
It was Jenna who had asked him to add it, she had noticed that Joshua would always try to find an excuse to be close when she helped the twins with their lessons, and when the twins heard that Joshua couldn't read properly they insisted that they wanted to help him practice.  
Melanie's contract included extended medical coverage that included costs for preexisting conditions, Takeshi intended to clear all her old medical bills from the accident.  
But before they signed anything there was the big reveal, Paul and Chris knew some of it, but they needed them all to know, and in more detail.  


“Congratulations on making to the end.”  
Emelie's announcement was met with cheering and some good natured bantering, and a few surprised exclamations as well, Joshua for instance clearly hadn't expected to be selected.  
“Before we move on to the contracts there is something we need to show you. Take, you're up.”  
Takeshi stood up and headed to the middle of the sundeck before shifting to his werewolf form, then continued to a full wolf form and back to his human form.  
Stepping aside he made room for Knight to show off his armor, then Emelie showed her true form and Dan rounded it off with his new form.  
There was a long silence before Manuela finally spoke up.  
“See, I told you something was fishy!”  
“Nah, Manda is the fishy one.”  
Emelie's answering quip had them all laughing and with the odd mood dispelled they continued their show and tell while carefully gauging the reactions.  
Much to Takeshi's relief all of the new employees took well to finding out the truth about the ones they would be working for so they signed the contracts and brought them to the Island to meet the others.  


Hugin and Munin caused quite a stir, especially when they showed off their true size, and the following intense curiosity and attention caused Hugin to flee to his raven form and camp out on Takeshi's shoulder, abusing his ear to calm himself.  
“Easy _amo_ , I would prefer my ear in one piece if you don't mind.”  
Hugin just cawed at him and hopped over to his left shoulder and snatched his earpiece and began pecking at it, trying to take it apart.  
Takeshi didn't mind though, if sacrificing an earpiece or two helped keep Hugin calm he would gladly give up as many as it took, he was planning to make a new design anyway.  
“You just can't help calling everyone _sweetie_ , can you?”  
Emelie teased Takeshi lightly while reaching up to give Hugin a scratch on the head.  
“Oh, got a problem with that _sweetie_?”  
“None whatsoever.”  
She pushed him toward one of the couches, mindful not to disturb Hugin's balance.  
“Hugin, why don't you take that to the twins? I'm sure they will be more than happy to help you pick it apart.”  
Her suggestion was met by a rather defiant chattering but when she flared her wings slightly Hugin ducked his head and obeyed with a soft chirp.  
With Hugin out of the way she pushed Takeshi down and straddled him before leaning in and nipping at her mating mark, mindful not to touch Dan's courting mark.  


“ _I swear, sometimes it's like having an extra kid around.”  
“I'm sure he will get over it once he gets used to all the new stuff.”  
“Probably, but you have to agree, it's really cute.”  
“He is, isn't he?”  
“Are you planning on courting him?”_  
The question took him slightly off guard, he had spent a lot of time thinking about the implications of Hugin offering his soul name but he hadn't expected Emelie to call him out on it.  
_“No. But if he approaches me for courting rights I won't reject him.”  
“A reasonable compromise. Any particular reason for it?”_  
Takeshi paused at the question and reached out to get a better feel for her aura, she was fishing for something and he had a suspicion about what her goal was.  
_“You have already figured it out, haven't you?”  
“That you know his soul name? Yeah, I've known for a while.”  
“He's not aware that I know though.”  
“Planning on letting him know you know?”  
“No, not until he is ready to give it to me knowingly.”_  
She hummed her agreement to his decision before allowing her seduction to rise slightly which quickly turned things carnal. **  
**

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Interlude 2047_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


With the contracts signed it was time for Takeshi to see to the promise they had made to Lucifer and Roghan to bring the remains of Roghan's mate and daughter to the Obsidian Palace, and while they did that he would have the crew of the Leviathan take a short vacation.  
“During these two weeks I want you to think about how you want your cabins decorated. Things like what colors you want, or don't want. Do you want soft, medium or hard mattress for the bed. Do you prefer cotton, satin, or maybe linen or even silk for your bedding. Do you want your duvets to be thick or thin, heavy or light, warm or cool”  
“Seriously? We get to decorate our cabins whatever way we want to?”  
Tessa was grinning widely at the prospect of making some changes to the rather generic space that would be home while she worked.  
“You will be living there a lot of the time so it's only fair you have a say. Stay within the budget and keep to safety regulations and we will make sure to get it done. I have also acquired a small apartment complex in Honolulu that will be renovated and decorated to your taste, but you will have plenty of time to think about that.”  
Seeing Joshua's somewhat troubled look and nervous squirming Takeshi turned to him.  
“Don't worry Josh, everyone will get a tablet with all the information on, and it's linked to Angel so she will be there to help at any time if you need her.”  
Joshua instantly lit up when he heard that Angel would be helping him, had taken a liking to her and she was more than happy to help him whenever he needed it and Takeshi was hoping she would be able to help Joshua improve in areas like reading, writing and math, as well as boost his confidence.  


With the crew off to Honolulu Takeshi gathered his pack to make plans for retrieving the bodies from the tomb in France.  
“We will all be going this time, but I need you to warn you that you might not be able to come with us into the Obsidian Halls, it depends on how you react to the energies of the Demon realm. I will not risk your health.”  
“Won't language be a problem? The rest of us don't speak Urui...”  
Normally Jenna's concerns could have been an issue, but thanks to the natural linguistic ability of higher demons it was not a concern.  
“Those who matter learned English while we were there, so no need to worry about that.”  
“Okay. But I guess it won't all be nice and easy?”  
“It won't, there are a few things you need to pay attention to.”  
He began explaining about the culture of the Obsidian Halls, and of demons in general, especially about challenges, as much as he wanted to protect them he would be unable to act if a valid challenge was issued.  
They wouldn't have much contact with anyone outside of the royal family, but Takeshi wouldn't take any unnecessary risks.  


“Everyone ready to head out?”  
Takeshi corralled the twins into the waiting Blackout and helped them get strapped in.

“Yep, everything is ready.”  
Looking around he noted that everyone nodded their agreement with Emelie.  
“Let's go then. Em, you mind letting Manda take the co-pilot duty?”  
“Of course not, she needs the practice more than I do.”  
Emelie quickly traded places with Amanda and a few minutes later the Blackout was taking off.  


It was dark outside when Takeshi set the Blackout down on the small, abandoned, parking area next to the old temple that hid the tomb.  
“Logan, will you be okay going back in there?”  
“Honestly Take, I don't know. But I will try.”  
“Don't force it, okay?”  
“Okay. But I won't just give up. I should be there.”  
“I know.”  
Takeshi brought out the torches he had purchased during their stay in the Obsidian Halls, smooth obsidian handles topped with a finely crafted fire crystals gave them all the light needed for enhanced eyes without being blinding, or posing any risk of setting anything on fire.  
Standing before the sealed door Takeshi called up his youki and removed the seal he had placed before drawing Glenys from his soul to remove the second seal.  
“Logan.”  
Takeshi stepped aside to allow Knight to be the first one to enter the chamber.  
With a wash of power Knight called his armor and stepped inside to take his position as honor guard and once in position he nodded for the others to enter.  
Takeshi and Emelie quickly removed the crystal that they had encased the bodies in, it had been bound into the stone altar to make sure no one would be able to move the bodies.  
“Hugin, Munin, lift them please so we can place the wrapping.”  
At Takeshi's prompt the angels stepped up and began to weave their magic into a web of power that gently lifted the bodies from the altar so that Jenna and Amanda could slide the fine silk cloth underneath them and carefully wrap the bodies.  
While they wrapped the bodies Emelie and Takeshi placed sanctuary crystals on the altar and began shaping them into a casket which Hugin and Munin lowered the wrapped bodies into before it was sealed and the crystals grew to fill the empty space, protecting and preserving the bodies.  
With the casket completed Takeshi nodded for Hugin and Munin to take the handles and carry it to the Blackout and once everyone was out of the chamber he quickly sealed it up again.  


Setting down in Iceland Hugin and Munin once again carried the crystal casket, now covered with a blanket, as they made their way to Dimmuborgir and the passage into the Obsidian Halls.  
“Is everyone feeling okay?”  
“A bit strange, but okay.”  
“Good, now this is the threshold into the Obsidian Halls. I want you to step over it slowly and let me know if anything feels off.”  
Hugin and Munin had placed the casket on the table in the guards room while Takeshi made sure his pack could safely enter the Demon realm and the Obsidian Halls.  
Much to Takeshi's relief there were no issues and before long they were walking toward the palace.  
“Ah, Take. It's nice to see you back already.”  
“Ylian, good to see you again. How are our little ones doing?”  
“They are growing nice and strong, a pride to their pana.”  
Before anyone could react Ylian had sauntered up to Takeshi and given him a proper smooch in greeting, and Takeshi of course couldn't let himself be outdone so he grabbed Ylian and repaid them with a kiss that left them somewhat dazed.  
“Mmm, Lucifer will be happy to find that you still taste like power.”  
The teasing quip made Takeshi huff, he had no doubt the old angel would make sure to claim a taste for himself.  
“Ylian, could you send word to Brenna and her mate that we are here?”  
“Of course. I'll make sure a runner is sent for Roghan as well.”  
Ylian bowed his head slightly to the casket.  
“Thanks.” **  
**

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Interlude 2047_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


One of the guards directed them toward the grand hall and when the doors opened an honor guard waited inside and flanked them as they walked to the dais at the end of the hall where Lucifer was waiting in all his glory.  
“Wow...”  
“You mention he was big, but damn! He is humongous...”  
“Don't forget crazy good looking...”  
The hushed conversation between Dan, Amanda and Jenna made Emelie suppress a snicker and a glance over the crystal casket revealed a hint of a smile on Takeshi's face, had their reason for being there not been such a grim one she was shire he would have been smiling and laughing as well.  
When they stopped before the dais Takeshi removed the seals on his aura and allowed it to unfurl while Hugin and Munin placed the casket in front of him.  
“Welcome back Pack Kiryu of House Shamarai Miri.”  
Lucifer slowly walked toward them and reduced his size as he did.  
“It is an honor to be back. May I introduce the rest of my pack?”  
There was a slight murmur among the honor guard at the breach of protocol, but as usual Lucifer ignored it and nodded for Takeshi to go ahead.  
Reaching out over the pack bond Takeshi called for Amanda to step forward.  


“This is Amanda Kaiyou, Beta of Pack Kiryu, Daughter of Atlantis.”  
Amanda let out a small gasp of surprise at being introduced as the second beta of the pack, but Emelie just smiled and echoed her approval over the bonds.  
Next he called Dan forward.  


“Dan Lindgren, born beta, second in line to Logan. And my _simoro_.”  
Takeshi knew that everyone could feel the courting mark, but mentioning the bond by referring to Dan as his simoro, bonded, potential mate-to-be, elevated its importance and he could feel a slight peak of curiosity from Lucifer at the deliberate mention.  


“Jenna Addams of Pack Kiryu, Seed bearer, Huntress, Daughter of the wild and my ama.”  
The last bit made Jenna blush vividly as Emelie had taught her what it meant.  


“Last but not least, Sarah and Maria Eriksson, chosen daughters of Pack Kiryu and House Shamarai Miri. Rainbow twins, empaths and soul healers, pride of my pack.”  
Lucifer had acknowledged each of them with a slight nod and he gave the twins a wide smile a wave which made them light up with smiles of their own.  


Stepping down from the dais Lucifer approached Amanda to take a closer look at her and greet her properly, and Takeshi felt a surge of pride when she squared her shoulders and raised her head to look straight at Lucifer's somewhat intimidating form.  
Amanda refused to be intimidated and when Lucifer leaned in and stole a kiss she rewarded him with a clawed slap but he just smiled at her as the marks faded from his face she settled for huffing and glaring at him.  
Following Takeshi's suggestion Dan was displaying his dragon form and Lucifer walked around him to get a better look at the slightly flared wings, but when he reached out to touch one of them he quickly pulled his hand back to avoid getting shocked by the flicker of power that played along the the pattern.  
Instead he moved back in front of Dan and gave him a nod, foregoing his usual kiss on the forehead out of respect of Takeshi's courting mark.  
Jenna's greeting played out much the same way as Amanda's, though the marks from her claws wasn't healing, a clear sign that she had been unable to fully control her venom, but Lucifer just smiled every bit as widely at her.  


“Are all your females this aggressive?”  
Lucifer mock complained while the scratches on his cheek slowly healed as his body counteracted the small amount of venom.  
“What can I say, I like them feisty.”  
The annoyed flare of auras from the female members of his pack had Takeshi ducking his head with an impish grin, he would no doubt be the victim of their feisty nature later.  
The males present snickered and teased while they waited for Lucifer to recover and fully heal from Jenna's venom.  
When he had recovered Lucifer kneeled down to greet the twins and Takeshi watched with avid curiosity, he had no idea how they would react.  
“Well aren't you the most adorable little pups?”  
Takeshi watched Lucifer reach forward to ruffle the twins hair and then suddenly scramble back with a startled squawk when both of them demonstrated the sharpness of puppy teeth by sinking them into his hands.  
With Lucifer momentarily off balance they both shifted and pounced and moments later they retreated with a handful of feathers each, proudly presenting their trophies to Takeshi and Emelie.  
“Good work girls!”  
They both praised the proud girls, and their joy had everyone smiling before long.  
“Indeed, fierce little warrior ladies you have there.”  
Lucifer offered his own praise, but was a bit more careful about approaching them again.  
His carefulness in approaching them stemmed from the hint of fear he had sensed from them when they bit him, the reaction had been one of self-defense not aggression.  
_“My apologies, I didn't mean to scare them...”  
“They don't like being touched by people they don't know, especially males. You startled them a bit so they just reacted.”  
“I should have foreseen that with their history, humans are more sensitive to such things.”  
_

Turning back to the girls Lucifer reduced his size further in an attempt to appear less intimidating before holding out his hands to them. _  
_ “How would our little warrior pups like a proper trophy to commemorate their grand victory?”  
Lucifer's offer was met with suspicious glances and they both held their stolen feathers closer.  
“Daddy, why does he talk so funny?”  
Maria's question caused a few gasps and suppressed chuckles and Lucifer's mock pout had Takeshi struggling not to laugh.  
“Maria, don't be rude. English is not his native language. To him you sound funny when you speak the Obsidian language.”  
“Sorry...”  
“Don't apologize to me, apologize to him.”  
Takeshi watched Maria approach Lucifer rather hesitantly and after a few moments Sarah moved in and took her hand and together they closed the last few steps.  
For a moment Maria didn't move, then she leaned in and rubbed her nose against the underside of Lucifer's jaw while doing her best to mimic an apologetic chirp.  
“Your alpha does not know what he is speaking of. You don't sound funny, you sound like an adorable little nestling.”  
“I'm a pup not a baby bird!”  
The affronted tone of the familiar complaint further strained Takeshi's control and he could hear his pack struggling not to laugh.  
“Of course you are, a fierce pup with the sharpest little fangs. But you still sound like the most adorable little nestling.”  
“I don't care what daddy says, you are really weird.”  
The deadpan delivery was the final straw and Takeshi broke down into laughter, and his laughter pulled his pack into it and before long everyone was laughing at the cheeky response.  
Takeshi couldn't help noticing the slight difference in how the twins acted though, Maria was starting to step forward and take more initiative, before he left Sarah would always be the one to speak first. **  
**

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Interlude 2047_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


Once everyone had calmed down Lucifer asked them to follow him to the royal mausoleum, but when the honor guard attempted to take the casket it caused a bit of a scene as Hugin and Munin refused to stand back.  
“Stand down, it is the sworn duty of Pack Kiryu of House Shamarai Miri to bring my lost kin to their final rest.”  
The guards quickly stepped back and allowed the twin angels to pick up the casket and Takeshi nodded for his pack to take up their positions again, flanking the casket much the same way as an honor guard would.  
When they arrived at the mausoleum Roghan and a group of his children were there waiting for them along with Ylian and their spawn.  
Hugin and Munin placed the casket in front of Roghan and Knight folded back the cloth that was draped over it so that the woman and infant inside could be seen before stepping back to give Takeshi space to step forward.  
“As promised, we return to you your lost mate and child so that they can rest forever within the realm of their kin.”  
For once Takeshi bowed fully, even his aura was somewhat subdued, though not as far as being submissive.  
What followed was a rather long, ritual exchange where Takeshi gave the body of Roghan's mate and child over to Roghan, and together they laid them to rest within the mausoleum.  
Takeshi was a bit surprised when Roghan asked him to be the one to help carry the casket into the mausoleum, he had thought that Lucifer would be the one to do it.  
Normally those who were not kin were not allowed within the mausoleum so it was a rather big breach of tradition to allow Takeshi and his pack inside, even Hugin and Munin were allowed inside.  


Once the bodies were secure in the mausoleum they returned to the palace where an enormous feast was being prepared in a hurry, to the Obsidian Angels the return of lost kin, even if it was just the empty husks of their loved ones, was something to celebrate, not mourn.

 


	5. Mainano

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Mainano_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


“What is this?”  
Maria took a piece of meat from one of the many bowls on the large table and held it up for Lucifer to inspect.  
“That's _Zimara_.”  
“And what is zimara?”  
“It's a large river creature that looks a bit like an octopus with lots of arms, and teeth.”  
“So, ugly but yummy?”  
“Indeed, very ugly, and very yummy. Maybe we will get an opportunity to go catch a few so you can see what they look like.”  
“Can we daddy?”  
Maria instantly turned to Takeshi in full puppy-dog eye mode.  
“Of course we can, we will be staying for about three months, so there will be plenty of time.”  


Sarah and Maria had taken very well to Lucifer, Roghan and Ylian once they got past their initial suspicion toward strangers and they were gladly engaging all of them in their antics and they had instantly fallen in love with Ylian's little gaggle of spawns.  
Amanda and Jenna were a bit less accepting of Lucifer due to his constant teasing and propositions, not to mention his love for trying to cop himself a good feel, but they both got along well with Roghan and Ylian.  
“Just saying _No_ won't do you much good here as long as your bodies respond to him, you need to whack him a good one if you want him to back off.”  
Takeshi's explanation was met by a few muttered complaints from Lucifer as Jenna instantly gave him a sharp elbow and tossed him over the table, though much to her annoyance he righted himself mid air and landed softly.  
_“Aw, why did you have to tell them that? I was having so much fun...”_  
Lucifer's complaint in the Obsidian language made Takeshi chuckle, he knew perfectly well what the old angel was up to, intentionally annoying the new females in order to teach them a few lessons about the local culture.  
Takeshi knew that Lucifer would take care not to take his teasing too far, but there were others who did not know of, or would not care about, the human origins of his pack which could cause problems if they didn't learn how to fend of an unwanted demon suitor.  
Amanda wasn't quite as quick to use the information, instead she enjoyed testing her powers on Lucifer, playing a game of give and take, teasing invitations and rejections that he was more than happy to play along with.  


“Manda, you should stand up, let him use his wings. I promise you will enjoy it.”  
For a moment Amanda glared at Takeshi, but then she blushed and ducked her head before doing as he suggested.  
Leaning back to watch over her as she allowed Lucifer to tease her Takeshi startled slightly when he felt feathered wings brush gently against his own arms, he had been aware that Hugin was standing behind him, but he was surprised at the rather forward action.  
Takeshi closed his eyes and allowed his head to drop back against Hugin, enjoying the feelings that the gentle touch evoked, trusting that Emelie and Knight would keep an eye on Amanda so that she would feel safe.  
He only held out for a few minutes though before the desire to return Hugin's attention became too much, he needed to touch, to tease.  
“Come here Hugin.”  
Hugin's chirps spoke of agreement and anticipation as he moved to stand in front of Takeshi, his wings continued their soft touching throughout the movement but his hands dropped to his sides to allow Takeshi to do as he pleased.  
When Takeshi tugged on the chest plate of Hugin's armor he kneeled down to allow easy access to the buckles that kept it in place and moments later it fell to the ground and the soft tunic quickly followed.  
The complete lack of shame about nudity was one of the things Takeshi had learned to like about most demon cultures, a cultural trait that for the moment offered him an excellent view.  


The feast had settled down, the children were sleeping in a pile under Ylian's watchful eye and most of the adults had paired up and slipped away, Takeshi and his pack had stayed in the garden though.  
Jenna and Dan were curled up under Munin's wings, Emelie was dozing off in Knight's lap while keeping half an eye on Amanda who was still pressed up against Lucifer, lost in the pleasure of his teasing touch.  
Satisfied that his pack was safe and content Takeshi turned his attention back to Hugin who was sitting on the ground next to him, leaned against his legs and resting his head in his lap.  
The angel was almost asleep, lulled into a restful state by the gentle touch of fingers playing with the soft feathers at the base of his wings.  
“You are calmer, more balanced.”  
It wasn't really a question, Takeshi could feel that the unbalanced and agitated energies in Hugin's aura had settled down into a calmer pattern, much calmer than he recalled ever feeling them.  
“I am. With everything that has been happening, leaving for the human realm was just too much. Returning here has helped settle it all down a bit.”  
“Are you intending to remain here when we return?”  
Takeshi found that it was a bit of a struggle to contain his concern about Hugin's answer, he wouldn't try to persuade the angel either way, but at the same time he really wanted him to return to the human realm with the rest of the pack.  
“No, I can't. This realm is not where I belong anymore...”  
“Hugin of House Shamarai?”  
The question was an offer that Takeshi hoped Hugin would accept.  
“Yes.”  
With a single word Hugin accepted the offer and swore himself to Takeshi, to his house and Takeshi accepted him into his house with a kiss on the forehead and a promise to protect.  


 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Mainano_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


“Take, the hunters wanted to know if you were interested in taking on a hunt.”  
Takeshi looked up from the group of young shadelings to their pana.  
“Oh, what kind of hunt?”  
“A task from from the city elders. With the hunters out working the herds there are very few left to take tasks.”  
The hunters would on occasion receive tasks from the city, to hunt down dangerous, troublesome creatures, but at the moment almost all of the hunters were away for the great _Manata_ migration.  
The manata was one of the many beasts of the plains, it reminded of a large buffalo, but it migrated like wildebeest and the hunters would all head out, not only to hunt and kill from the abundance, but also to protect smaller settlements in the path of the herds.  


“Well, don't keep me in suspense. What kind of task?”  
Ylian huffed and muttered something barely intelligible about the impatience of youth before answering.  
“A new gong colony has been found near the lowland farms, one fully mature adult male, five young, nesting, females and a lot of juveniles, two, maybe three litters each.”  
“So an eradication task then.”  
“Exactly.”  
A newly established gong colony would grow rapidly if they had a good supply of food, and a male with five breeding females would be capable of overrunning and completely devastating the farms in a matter of months.  
“I was thinking that we could all head out, those of us with experience take out the adults, then everyone can help take out the offspring. The oldest litters are still juveniles, a set of barely, or just weaned pups and maybe a set of pinkies.”  
“Not much time then, if they bore new litters as soon as they were fertile after the first litter then the oldest litter will be able to breed within a few weeks.”  
It was an important task and time was running out so chances were that the pay would be good, and it was an excellent opportunity to test his pack's ability to hunt.  
“As you probably suspect the pay will be excellent. And if you don't want to take it I will take a few of the guards and head out myself. But it would be such a waste.”  
“Indeed it would. I'll ask the others when they get back from the baths.”  
Takeshi had stayed behind in the garden to keep an eye on his shadeling spawns while his pack took a bath as Ylian had left earlier to run a few errands in the city.  
“I have a feeling they will be eager to help. And to try their skills.”  
“Oh, I'm sure they will, but I will ask them nonetheless.”  
“Always a believer in the freedom to choose.”  
“As long as it won't jeopardize their safety.”  


Shifting his seat slightly Takeshi picked up one of the curled up spawns and handed it to Ylian, they had grown a lot since their birth and had matured into shadelings, though still in an immature form, prone to reverting to their egg form.  
They weren't what would be considered true shadelings just yet, they still needed to undergo their final metamorphosis, but their rapid growth and metamorphosis from the larval form into a nymph stage was promising for the future.  
Their egg form was no longer the little quail eggs they had been when born as though, they were quite large, and very heavy, their size and shape reminded Takeshi of the Elephant bird egg he had seen once in a museum.  
They were roughly 30 cm long, but very heavy for their size, he estimated that each weighed about 50 kg, though, that was far from as dense as they had been at birth.  
If they had maintained their volume to weight ratio from birth they would have weighed around 200 kg at the current size.  
What Takeshi found interesting though was that they weighed more in their egg form than they did in their normal form, their normal humanoid form only weighed about 30 kg, Ylian had explained that it had to do with how shadelings compressed their power in order to take corporeal form.  
Takeshi had accepted the simplified explanation at the time, but he would need to study a lot more if he was to actually understand it and he intended to do so when he had the time.  


“They really like you, it's rare that spawns accept their para so readily.”  
Ylian balanced two of their spawns in their lap while leaning against Takeshi so that all four spawns could feel their closeness.  
“Well, I was there to feed them while you carried, and I was the first creature they felt after their birth. That's not normal for a para so it could be why they accept me without hesitation.”  
“It might be. Most para couldn't care less if their spawn accept them or not, once the spawns have formed they leave. I suppose it might be because shadelings are able to become pana themselves and most will pick another shadeling to be para.”  
“I'm glad you didn't.”  
Takeshi leaned against Ylian's shoulder, he was hoping they would explain why they chose him.  
“I still owe you that explanation, don't I?”  
“Indeed you do. Care to start it while we wait?”  
Ylian laughed and accused Takeshi of being an impatient whelp before shifting their spawn around a bit to be able to lean more comfortably against him.  


“As you know I am an Arai, both as a Shadow and as a Lilim. But I am also very young by demon standards, and because of this I have had quite a lot of contact with the younger generations.”  
Ylian paused for a moment as Takeshi hummed softly and gently brushed his aura against one of the spawns who was unfurling and a few moments later it settled down again and Ylian continued.  
“We shadelings have lost our way as a species, we are degenerating. We have always been a harsh breed, cannibals, tough on our young, willing to sacrifice the weak in favor for the strong. But it has been tempered by necessity, balanced out by caring.”  
Ylian explained that the origin of the shadeling cannibalism was a way to quickly recover after a harsh battle, to ensure that at least one of the combatants would survive.  
“But now they hunt and consume the weak, attack pana who are weakened by the delivery to steal and consume the young. Pana abandon their young immediately after birth, like spawning fish. Some pana will even seek out a strong para, then consume their own spawn at birth.”  
Ylian's increasingly agitated state was beginning to affect their spawn so Takeshi reached around and pulled them closer.  
“Ssh, you are waking the little ones.”  
At first there was no reaction, then Ylian slowly calmed down, and after a few minutes of silence they continued the explanation.  
“When I heard that Em had come in search of her heritage I decided to have a look and I was relieved to find her caring heart and a pure soul. Then I noticed you, part shadow, strong, caring and protective.”  
Ylian pushed gently against Takeshi's aura to make it rise in response before weaving into it in a rather intimate touch.  
“I was seeing in you those traits that my kind are losing. And I found myself wanting you as para to my clutch, hoping that they would inherit those traits from you. Hoping to take a step toward restoring my species to how it should be.”  
“With you raising them I'm sure they will grow up to be fine, honorable, demons with the power, and desire, to protect what is theirs.”  
Ylian didn't answer him, instead they leaned back in silence and focused on exploring Takeshi's aura, picking up on the subtle changes that his return to the human realm had caused, the mating bond with Dan, granting Jenna the blessing, his oath to her, they all changed him slightly.  
A few minutes later Ylian spoke up again, but their voice was low, almost hesitant.  


“When these little ones have matured some more, would you be willing to consider...”  
Their words trailed off but Takeshi could feel the question.  
“I would be honored to. When you feel you are ready to try for more little ones, let me know and I will make sure to come and spend some time here with you, a heat and enough time for a safe birth and recovery.”  
“Oh, you have figured out your cycle?”  
“I have, or well, almost at least. It's either ten years, or one year of my native realm, we won't know for sure until another year has passed in the human realm.”  
“I suspect you are hoping for a ten year cycle?”  
“Indeed...”  
“Well, until then, how about we practice a bit?”  
The invitation made Takeshi grin and move the two spawns he was holding from his lap, and his actions made Ylian smile and move the two they were holding, placing all four of them to the side where they would be out of the way, but safe.  
When Takeshi turned his attention to Ylian they began to shift under his touch, slowly shifting into a softer, more feminine form, but much to Takeshi's relief their aura remained strong and unyielding.  
He didn't like it when Ylian was submissive, it gave him a feeling of wrongness as he knew that Ylian was far too strong and experienced to consider him their superior, despite their status as beta and alpha, not to mention he had learned to enjoy the feeling of being with someone who didn't actually submit.  


 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Mainano_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


“Take! I thought you were supposed to watch the little ones, not screw their pana!”  
Emelie huffed in mock annoyance when she returned with the pack and found her mate otherwise engaged.  
“Oh, they are fine. We just got a bit bored waiting for you to return from the bathhouse.”  
”Susai! Don't encourage him!”  
“Aw, but he is _so_ much fun when properly encouraged...”  
The rest of Ylian's reply was interrupted by a yelp and a moan as Takeshi punished their lack of attention with a sharp nip to the exposed throat.  
“My my, such a demanding partner...”  
Ylian turned their attention back to Takeshi and began to trail kisses along his jawline.  
“Why do I even bother? You are just as bad as he is!”  
Emelie's frustrated grumblings had the others laughing and snickering as they headed to the other end of the garden to allow the pair some semblance of privacy.  


When Takeshi and Ylian joined the others it was just in time to share the larger forenoon meal with them.  
“So, how would you guys feel about going on a little hunt?”  
“Oh, hunting what?”  
The interest was instant, and eager.  
“Gong. An old male has gathered a few young females and established a nest close to the eastern farms in the lowlands. They need to be eradicated or they will destroy the farms.”  
Takeshi and Ylian explained what the task would involve, including the reward that would be paid for completing such a task.  
“Will it really be safe for the girls?”  
Jenna's concern was obvious.  
“No, it's not a safe task. But those of us with experience will deal with the adult gongs and the oldest brood, then the rest of you can help take care of the younger ones. Our little shadeling spawns will be with the girls at all times, they can grab them and shadow travel to safety if something should happen.”  
The shadeling spawns didn't have personal names yet, it was the way of the shadelings that a spawn would chose a name once they reached full maturity, to address a specific spawn one would simply brush against their aura.  
Sarah and Maria had given them their own names though, following the old nursery rhyme they had named them Eenie, Meenie, Miney and Moe in order of their births and the spawns had taken well to the names.  
Assured that there would be no serious danger the others quickly agreed to accept the task and they began making plans to head out.  


“Holy crap! That is one seriously huge rat!”  
While the girls scolded Dan for his language, Takeshi found himself agreeing, even for a gong the creature was decidedly huge.  
“This is not going to be easy, for it to grow that large it must be old, and shrewd. And I'd hate to see what could possibly have driven it to seek a new territory.”  
Takeshi mused half to himself, half to the others while watching the large creature move around, obviously looking for something to eat.  
“Actually, we do know what caused that. The mountain area it inhabited has been settled by a flight of dragons. A young female and her consorts that have separated from their matriarch to form their own flight.”  
It would seem Ylian had more information than they had initially shared.  
Among dragons it was common that the matriarch, the oldest and wisest, didn't allow younger females to partake in the mating flight, the other females would still lay eggs, but those eggs would be infertile.  
While the dummy eggs did help protect the matriarchs brood, now and then a strong female would gather consorts of her own and leave so that she could perform the mating flight, lay her own clutch, and become a Brood Queen, a matriarch in her own right.  
“A flight of hungry dragons would indeed be a good reason to move, unfortunately he picked a very bad place to move to.”  
The others agreed that it was a shame that they would have to kill the displaced beasts, but they had no choice. Unlike the dragons, they would not be able to make it move it's females and the new offspring.  


Pulling back slightly they watched the old gong take down one of the large manata and return with it to the den where it was met by two of the females and a group of juveniles.  
They watched it make several trips to bring back prey to the den and made their plan to ambush it on one of the trips and take it down.  
“Em, I know you are an excellent huntress, but I want you to stay back with the others and keep an eye out for the adult females in case we can't get the male down fast. Hugin and Munin will help you while Logan, Ylian and I take it down.”  
For a moment Emelie's energy rose in challenge, but a sharp spike in Takeshi's aura made her back down and bare her neck to him.  
Before he had a chance to drag his fangs along the exposed flesh they were interrupted by frantic cries from the girls.  
“Oh no!”  
“That little shadow is trying to fight it!”  
“Look out!”  
Looking closely Takeshi spotted the small shadow beast that was desperately trying to fight off the large gong, but something was wrong with the way it was fighting.  
“A pana, trying to draw it away from the den, the spawns. Doomed...”  
Ylian spoke softly and there was a hint of sadness in their voice.  
The girls picked up on the tone in Ylian's voice and their auras flared and blended, their healer nature taking over.  
“Daddy, please save it!”  
A quick glance at Ylian and Knight resulted in a pair of short nods that made it easy to make up his mind.  
“I will try. But I can't promise I will be able to.”  
The look in their eyes as they nodded their understanding made his heart ache, such hope, and such sorrow.  


Logan had mounted his peregrine mount while Takeshi spoke, and Ylian had shifted into a similar form and now they waited for Takeshi to take the lead.  
With a quick shift he threw himself into the air and streaked toward the gong, he didn't bother to wait for the others, instead he folded his wings and tilted his body into the signature stoop of the peregrine, hoping to take advantage of the fact that the gong was focused on the shadow beast.  
He managed to get onto the creature's back, just at the base of it's skull, but as expected the gong proved to be a challenging opponent and in the end it took all three of them and the shadow beast to take it down.  
It was with a heavy heart that Takeshi picked up the shadow beast, its left hind leg and a large chunk of its side was missing, torn away and consumed by the gong.  
“Ylian, can it be healed?”  
“I'm afraid not, yi spent everything yi had to lure the gong away from the den.”  
Ylian allowed their energy to flow over the dying beast, calming it and taking away its pain.  
“We should consume yi's energy so it is not lost, then find the den and the spawns. They should recognize the energy of their pana and allow themselves to removed from the den.”  
Both Ylian and Knight turned to look at Takeshi and Takeshi realized that they wanted him to consume what remained of the shadow beast.  
“Take, you have a shadow within, it will know how to consume the energy without damaging it.”  
Ylian's voice was calm, but authoritative and Takeshi turned his attention inward, to the beast within.  
When the power of Takeshi's inner shadow rose the shadow beast in his arms seemed to relax, even lean into him, it knew it was dying and it seemed almost eager for him to absorb it.  
_“I'm sorry I was not able to save you, but I will do what I can to save your spawn.”_  
The shadow beast was a lesser demon and as such it didn't really understand his words, but it understood his feelings, the message he was trying to convey and as he began absorbing it he could feel a sense of relief, and gratitude from the creature.  
As he absorbed it he could feel an almost overwhelming sorrow from the girls, and despite the distance he could hear their heartbroken cries, closing his eyes he numbed the bond and focused on feeling the new energy settle.  
Using the new energy as a guide he allowed his aura to expand, stretching it across the area that the shadow beast had been trying to lure the gong away from, and soon he felt a pair of tiny pricks of energy resonate with his aura.  
“Will you two be okay preparing it on you own?”  
“Of course, the others can come help once we have removed the venom gland. You go find those spawns.”  
Ylian almost shooed him in the direction of the beast's den.  


Carefully following the tiny pricks of energy Takeshi made his way to the den and shifted into a form similar to the beast's and crawled inside, at first the tiny spawns hissed and tried to crawl away from him, but when he released a pulse of his aura they froze and after a few moments they bolted to him and latched on to the fur at his neck.  
He could feel that they were aware of what had happened, fear and sorrow permeated their auras, but he could also feel a hint of hope as he slowly backed out of the den and resumed his human form.  
When he returned to the felled gong the rest of his pack had arrived and were helping Ylian and Knight to prepare it for transport, the choice bit's would become the next meal though.  
Sarah and Maria sat a short distance to the side under Hugin's watchful eye, Ylian's brood were trying to cheer them up but wasn't having much success.  
As he walked over to the girls it became clear to him what he needed to do.  
“Sarah, Maria. From now on these little ones will be your responsibility. You will feed them, you will teach them and train them. They have lost their pana and will need someone to keep them safe, to care for them and love them.”  
He carefully set the small pup-like spawns into their waiting hands and watched as they eagerly latched onto the twins auras and began feeding from the girls abundant life-force.  
His and Ylian's little ones moved in closer to examine the newcomers and were quickly scolded by the girls and told that they would have to wait until the _pups_ were done feeding.  
“It will be up to you to name them as well.”  
They both looked up at him, them at each other and after a few moments they spoke without hesitation.  
“Gere.“  
“Freke.”  
Their choice of names made Takeshi smile, it would seem they took their inspiration from Emelie, and how she had named Hugin and Munin.  
Gere and Freke were the wolves of the Norse god Óðinn, commonly known as Odin, or Oden, Hugin and Munin were his ravens.  
“The wolves of Óðinn, strong, honorable, names, names to live up to.”  
Sarah and Maria both nodded and promised they would make sure the pups grew up to be a pride to the pack.  


When they returned to the city a week later Takeshi was beaming with pride, everyone in his pack had done very well during the hunt, even the girls had taken down several of the newborn gong themselves.  
Part of the reward for clearing out the nest was used to craft a pair of harnesses for Gere and Freke, harnesses that would grow with them and allowed Sarah and Maria a certain measure of control.  
With a mental command from the girls the harnesses could temporarily bind the young shadow beasts.  


 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Mainano_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


Munin's anxious energy made Takeshi look up, he had a pretty good idea what the angel wanted, he had been increasingly restless the past few days since they returned from exterminating the gong nest.  
“Take iero, may I have a moment of your time?”  
“Munin, how many times do I have to tell you there is no need for such formalities?”  
“Apologies...”  
The slight bow and submissive position of the wings made Takeshi sigh and give a slightly frustrated huff.  
“So, what can I do for you today?”  
“I would like your permission to return to the Jacaranda estate.”  
“Being away from your simora starting to be too much for you?”  
Munin just nodded silently.  
“Then go. Just remember to speak with your brother before you leave.”  
“I will, thank you.”  
Takeshi watched Munin turn and walk away to find his brother, and as he reached the doorway Takeshi called out after him.  
“I don't want to return home and find that I have missed Lissa's mating! Or find her pregnant!”  
The way Munin's shoulders and wings tensed up at the somewhat teasing words made Takeshi smile and chuckle which earned him a sharp punch on the arm from Jenna.  
“Don't be mean to the poor guy!”  
Her scolding brought on an all out laugh as he pulled her close and gave her a scorching kiss.  


When they gathered for the evening meal Hugin was noticeably subdued and the tension in his wings spoke volumes about how stressed he was.  
True to their nature the girls immediately flanked Hugin, nearly crawling into his lap in their eagerness to soothe the pain they were sensing from him.  
Dropping the tiny, wispy, shadow pups, into his lap proved to be a rather effective distraction and soon he was too focused on playing with the girls and the pups to worry about his brother's absence.”  
_“Will he be okay?”_  
Emelie's tone was concerned, over the years she had grown rather fond of their angel twins.  
_“In time. Their bond is changing. The bond of simiri holds a much greater sway than the bond of brothers, even twins.”  
“Is there anything you can do to soothe him?”  
“I have have a few ideas. Don't worry, I will watch over him and tend to him if needed.”_  
If all else failed Takeshi could use Hugin's soul name to calm him down, to form a new, stronger, bond to keep him balanced, but unless Hugin knowingly offered his name that would be a last resort.  
“Daddy, can we go to the market tomorrow?”  
Maria's question drew Takeshi from his musings and he quickly considered it, it could prove to be a good distraction for Hugin, and the grand market was one of the things he was hoping to show his pack.  
“That sounds like an excellent idea.”  
With a slight wave he called one of the palace servants and instructed the angel to fetch one of the caches that was kept for him in the treasury.  
Settling back down he watched the way his pack interacted with each other, the way their energies blended and soothed each other and he could feel his own aura settle down into a content pattern, expanding and contracting slightly, like waves against a beach.  
Looking at the twins he focused slightly on them, allowing them to feel his pride in their caring nature.  


“Sarah, Maria. Remember, this place can be really dangerous so it's very important that you don't walk off on your own here. Always stay close to me, Em or Logan.”  
Takeshi turned to Amanda, Dan and Jenna and told them to stick close as well.  
“But Hugin and Ylian, aren't they safe?”  
“They are, but you have no bond with them, so someone could pretend to be them and trick you. Eriko's charms might not be strong enough to help you see through it.”  
“Okay...”  
They both pouted and hurried over to Hugin and reached for his hands, intent on making sure not to let go so that no one would be able to trick them, and he reached down and took their hands for a moment before offering them the long feathers of his wings instead.  
“Just don't pull on the feathers, okay?”  
“Okay!”  


Shortly after their arrival at the market the pack split up, Knight and Dan walked of in one direction, Emelie took Amanda and Jenna in another direction with Ylian and the spawns tagging along with them, while Hugin and the twins stayed with Takeshi.  
“Daddy! Hurry!”  
Takeshi shook his head with a smile as he followed the twins while they nearly dragged Hugin, who they had refused to let go of, toward a small stall where a forest demon was selling some of her tribe's delicacies.  
The way the girls sniffed their way through the stall had the vendor smiling widely and offer them various bowls and baskets with her wares.  
“This one smells amazing!”  
“Hugin, is this safe for us to eat?”  
They handed Hugin a small woven basket  
“They are not just safe, they are really good for you, but are you sure you want to eat that? Those are _Gubi_ grubs.”  
The identification of the contents made Takeshi smile.  


Gubi was a very large beetle, with giant, fat, grubs that could easily grow to over 30 centimeters and weigh over 500 grams each, the ones sold at the market were usually quite a bit smaller though.  
And like the girls had noticed, they smelled amazing, and was actually quite tasty once you got past the whole eating a giant grub alive part, cooking them produced a toxin, while not actually dangerous it tasted bad and would render a person quite sick for a few days.  


“Wow, they are really huge, and ugly!”  
“But they smell _soooo_ good! Can we have some?”  
“If you are sure, you have to eat them alive though or they will taste bad and make you sick.”  
Hearing that they would have to eat them alive made the girls hesitate, but after a quick conversation they look up and nodded.  
“We're sure.”  
“Okay.”  
Hugin looked up from the girls to the smiling vendor.  
“Four small and two extra large gubi grubs and some manaroka dip please.”  
“Ripe or unripe?”  
Ripe manaroka had a sweet, slightly spicy chocolate taste, like milk chocolate with a touch of chili, while the unripe fruits had a sharper, more bitter, taste, like a really dark chocolate mixed with strong, black coffee and a hint of cinnamon.  
“Unripe please.”  
The vendor handed them three of the baskets, one significantly larger than the others and Hugin quickly handed the smaller ones to the girls before taking the bowl with dip.  


“Pay attention and I'll show you how to eat them.”  
Sarah and Maria gave a short chirp in response, it was one of those sounds that couldn't really be translated into Urui, or English for that matter, is was just a sound of attention, but it was an excellent proof of how well they were learning the Obsidian language, and of their skill at mimicking the complex sounds.  
“Be careful when you handle them, because they can bite pretty hard. Grab them like this, from the back, between the middle pair of legs.”  
Hugin showed them how to safely pick up the grub, making sure to keep the large mandibles away so they wouldn't get pinched.  
“Bring them to your mouth like this. Then bite down behind the last pair of legs.”  
Hugin bit down and tore away the fleshy rare body of the grub and chewed slowly while offering the front part with the head and small legs to the large bird that sat on a perch on the side of the vendor's stall.  
“You can give the heads to your little pets, the head from mine is just a bit too big for them.”  
After a few yelps and muttered curses the girls managed to get a grip on the uncooperative grubs and quickly bit off the fleshy part.  
“Wow, it tastes even better than it smells!”  
“Now now, girls, table manners.”  
They both ducked their heads and finished chewing before speaking up again.  
“Sorry.”  
“Don't worry, just don't let Em see you do that.”  
Both girls blanched at the mention of Emelie seeing them speak with their mouths full.  
“Now, do you want to try them with the dip?”  
Both nodded and Hugin showed them how to dip the grub in the bowl before taking a big bite and giving the second head to the bird as well.  
“Tastes a bit funny, but it's still good.”  
“I liked it better without that stuff...”  
Takeshi wasn't surprised by their reaction to the dip, while they were far from picky eaters, quite the opposite, they did share some of the distaste for bitter things that was common among children.  


Takeshi bought a few of the grubs for himself and watched Hugin talk to the vendor while he ate them and offered the heads to the little shadow pups.  
After a while Hugin called for the twins and offered them what looked like two pieces of honeycomb with large cells, the center cell was significantly deeper and contained a deep blue honey and a few sticks of what looked like red asparagus, and thin, purple leeks.  
It was surrounded by two layers of cells that each held a different treat from the stall and the twins lit up like the proverbial kid in the candy store, thanking Hugin vigorously before running to Takeshi to show him what they had.  
Takeshi took a small salamander egg from one of the cells of each comb and popped them in his mouth before nodding for the girls to go ahead and enjoy their treat.  


 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Mainano_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


“It's nearly midday, we should head for the central park to meet up with the others.”  
“Already?”  
The twins moped and complained, but Takeshi knew it was mostly because they were really tired and had been running on pure stubbornness for the past two marks.  
The plan was to meet the rest of the pack in the park, get something to eat, and allow the twins to sleep for a while, the girls wouldn't need to eat though as they had pretty much eaten their way through the market much to Hugin's amusement.  
By the time they reached the park both girls were stumbling and yawning and when they sat down they crawled into Takeshi's and Hugin's laps and promptly fell asleep.  
“Ah, I see your little ones are just as worn out as ours are.”  
Ylian smiled widely and pointed to their sleeping spawns.  
“Why don't you give them to me so you can eat and rest with your pack?”  
As they spoke Ylian abandoned their humanoid shape in favor for what looked like a large, covered, pet bed and Takeshi thanked them as he gently placed Maria on Ylian's new form and shortly after she was joined by Sarah, their little cubs and the spawns.  
They spent the better part of a mark eating, talking and teasing before taking a page from the kids' book and settling down to nap while Ylian kept an eye on them, Takeshi could feel a group of palace guards as well, no doubt assigned to them by Lucifer's majordomo as the Lord himself was not in the city at the time.  


Takeshi estimated that they had rested for about an hour when the twins began to stir again, they had grown well into their new, more powerful, bodies and needed very little sleep.  
“We're hungry!”  
“Girls, let the others rest, I will help you find something to eat.”  
Ylian quickly hushed the girls and helped them pick through what remained of the meal that the pack had shared, looking for something for them to eat.  
“Ylian, why does mommy call you susai?”  
“Because I am her susai, her father's sibling.”  
“But, then why does she call Roghan _Shomo_?”  
“Susai comes from my native language, the language of the shadelings, while Shomo is Urui, the brother of her father.”  
“Okay! So we could call Danny and Logan shomo?”  
“You could, but they aren't really seen as brothers, are they?  
“I guess...”  
The girls paused for a moment before asking their next question.  
“But Sumi-chan would be shoma, right?”  
“She is mostly seen as Take's sister, so that's right.”  
“Jenna and Manda would be shima?”  
“They could, but shama would be more accurate. You mother considers them to be sisters while your father sees them as lovers.”  
“Ah, okay.”  
“Now, what do you think would be the proper way to address me in Urui?”  
“Shimi?”  
“That's right.”  
Ylian praised them for remembering their lessons in Urui.  
“Of course they are right. My little girls are as clever as they come.”  
“Daddy!”  
The moment Takeshi spoke up the girls rushed to his side and moments later he had a pair of squirming pups in his lap.  
“A pride to any pack.”  
Ylian agreed softly.  


With the twins awake the rest of the pack was quickly roused from their rest and before long they were ready to continue their day at the market, but this time they all moved together.  
The others had not been slowed down by the twins eager curiosity, and love for unknown foods and snacks, so they had already made it through the market before the midday meal, it didn't stop them from buying random treats and trinkets though.  


“Daddy, that place feels strange...”  
Sarah pointed toward a large marquee slightly off the main path and Takeshi recognized the markings.  
It was the same one where he had bought the wands and magic kits while shopping for Emelie's ramhiri gift.  
“Strange how?”  
Takeshi encouraged them to explore the feeling.  
“It's like when someone is hurt, but not painful. I don't know...”  
“Do you feel like you need to go there, or like you need to get away from there?”  
“Go there!”  
Both of them agreed instantly.  
“Then let's go have a look and see if we can't find what draws you there. But remember, try not to seem too interested if it's one of their wares as that will make them ask a higher price.”  
“We know.”  
When they entered the marquee the vendors looked their way and nodded in greeting, but the old demon that crafted the wands paused and looked closer at them.  
“Oh, it's you! Are these little ones the rainbow twins?”  
The obvious interest made the twins squirm and hide behind Takeshi's legs.  
“Is he safe?”  
The way the old artisan's face dropped made Takeshi smile as he ushered them forward.  
“I don't know him well enough to know if he is really safe. But I'm quite sure he is smart enough not to try anything while the rest of us are here.”  
With Takeshi's reassurance the twins approached the old artisan and began looking at his wares.  
“You made this didn't you?”  
Maria brought her wand out from within her soul and held it up.  
“I did. A seer brought me those crystals and asked me to make those for a pair of twins, a pair of born healers. They were made to become yours.”  
“Thanks for making them so pretty.”  
They both pushed a tiny bit of power into their wands, making them glow with a gentle rainbow light which made the artisan smile with every bit as much joy as the twins had when Takeshi gave the wands to them..  


After looking through the artisan's wares the turned back to Takeshi.  
“Not finding anything you like?””  
_“It's not here.”  
“We can still feel it, but not where it comes from.”  
_“No, but we wanna keep looking.” _  
“Remember what I told you about trying too hard?”  
“Mhm..”_  
“Okay, take your time.”  
Half the conversation was silent, and the other half open for all to hear as the girls minded Takeshi's warning about not letting the vendors know there was something special they were looking for.  


“ _I think I found it. This way.”_  
“Let's see what they have here.”  
Maria took the lead and Sarah followed closely behind her as they made their way toward the area that their energy had been drawn to.  
“Oh, these crystal eggs are really pretty.”  
_“Here!”_  
Maria began sifting through the items on one of the tables with an eager energy before pointing to a section of items that looked like crystal eggs in various sizes, colors and patterns.  
“Oh, look at that one, it looks like fire.”  
The one she pointed at was one of the larger ones that looked like wisps of smoke had frozen and trapped a flame within.  
“How much for that one?”  
Takeshi pointed toward the one that the girls wanted, while silently telling them not to touch it as it might react to them, and that would probably increase the asking price.  
“Ah, you have good eyes. My finest item. Egg of great phoenix, never hatching it turn to stone. Very rare, very expensive. 1000 measures.”  


Something about the glint in the old crone's eye when she raised her head to look at him made Takeshi avert his eyes and growl out a warning to his pack.  
“Don't look at her!” _  
_ A split second later Emelie appeared between the twins and the creature she and folded her wings around them and Takeshi could feel them vanish and reappear behind him, but he couldn't see if because is vision was obstructed by Hugin's wings.  
“You know the law of the land, _Gorgon_! Keep you gaze from wandering or it will cost you your remaining eye.”  
As he spoke Hugin's wing shifted slightly to make it easier for Takeshi to duck under it and move forward so that he could see what was happening.  
Stepping up to Hugin's side he noticed that the angel was holding the tip of his obsidian blade to the crone's one good eye.  
A rather annoyed hissing could be heard from beneath her headscarf and Takeshi could see something move and twist, no doubt the serpents that would reveal her true nature if seen.  
“Ask a fair price for that egg and I will not report you for hiding your true nature.”  
With a flick of the obsidian blade Hugin removed the cloth that hid the serpents covering her head.  
“500 measures, not a grain less!”  
The gorgon snapped at Hugin, her serpents hissing and baring fangs dripping with venom.  
“Maybe I should just ask the hunters to investigate how you obtain your wares?”  
“Fine! 100 measures.”  
She spat at Hugin and reached for the egg but before she could touch it Takeshi snatched it away and handed her one of the parchment slips that would allow her to collect 100 measures from the palace treasury, but he had a feeling she might not try to claim it.  


The hunters were not only tasked with hunting for food and killing dangerous creatures, they were also responsible for protecting rare creatures, and from what Hugin was silently telling them the old gorgon had used her power change real eggs into the crystals she was selling.  
No doubt using her abilities to hunt down rare creatures, turn them to stone and steal their eggs before releasing them from her power to keep the hunters from finding out before using her power to change the eggs, failed hatchings were not uncommon so it wouldn't arouse any suspicion on its own.  


When Hugin folded his wings again Takeshi slipped his hand behind his back and began gently sifting through the small feathers, enjoying the softness while offering his gratitude and approval.  
The embarrassed and slightly uncomfortable chirps from the doorway of the marquee made Takeshi smile, a pair of guards had been alerted by the flare of power when Emelie used her power to step through the shadows.  
They had been smart enough to hold back and not get involved, but now they were struggling to contain their reaction to the, for them, very intimate display.  
For a moment Takeshi could feel Hugin's tension and concern rise, but much to his relief, and pride, he could feel it give way to amusement and a slight peak of arousal which Takeshi gladly took advantage of by spinning Hugin around and kissing him rather harshly.  
When Hugin tugged at his hair and returned the kiss with equal fervor Takeshi's breath quickened and he groaned with a mix of pleasure and effort to suppress the more obvious reactions.  
The rest of the pack whooped and laughed as the guards spluttered and hurried out of the marquee and Hugin's growing arousal and amusement was joined by a bubbling joy.  
“You did well.”  
Takeshi whispered his praise softly, his breath still somewhat labored and Hugin did nothing to suppress the answering chirps, joy, arousal, contentment, and a hint of embarrassment.  


“Here you go girls, your not so little treasure egg.”  
Takeshi held out the egg for them, but they didn't take it from his hands, instead they both touched it gently, making it glow as the flame within flickered faintly.  
“Can you keep it for us? Keep it within?”  
“I will try, but it might not work. It is very faint, but this egg is still alive and it might refuse me.”  
“Please!”  
“We're not strong enough to do it...”  
“Easy, there. I will try, but I need you to help me to increase the chance of success.”  
Both girls nodded eagerly and promised they would do everything they could to help.  
“Merge your aura's and reach out through our bond, try to merge with my aura as much as you can. It reached out for you, and if it can feel that you accept me it might as well.”  


Takeshi didn't want to get their hopes up, chances of success were not the best, not only would he have to merge something truly alive into himself, the creature would have to accept as well.  
Unfurling his aura he gently brushed it against the crystallized egg and when the girls aura added to his own it began to respond slightly, at first it was fear and rejection but that was slowly replaced with acceptance.  
When he finally began to pour his aura into it, it opened up to him and allowed itself to be brought into his shift, hidden away in his soul.  
When he reined his aura back in he heard a sigh of relief from the vendors in the marquee, it seemed that even the relatively small part of his power he had used was enough to cause them discomfort.  
“How about we call it a day, head back and get some rest?”  
He could feel that the twins were exhausted, and Hugin's aura was fluctuating slightly, indicating stress, and he was feeling rather uncomfortable himself with the unfamiliar energy within.  
His pack didn't answer with words, just a feeling of agreement as Knight exited the Marquee and the other followed suit, leaving him to pick up the twins.  


When they reached the gates of the palace area Takeshi noticed that the armor of the guards was once again the pure black of the Royal Guard, Lucifer's personal elite force, rather than the gray and black of the Imperial Guard.  
The Obsidian halls had several types of guards, their ranks were reflected in the color of their tunic and armor, ranging from a dark silver of the lowest ranked guards and recruits to the pure black of the Royal Guard.  
Hugin and Munin had both earned ranks within the Imperial Guard, the colors of their rank was a charcoal tunic and a black armor with the insignia of the palace in gunmetal gray with silver linings.  
“It would seem our host has returned.”  
“Yay!”  
Sarah and Maria both cheered, while the rest of his pack sighed slightly.  
Once past their initial shyness and concern the youngest members of his pack had taken well to the ancient angel and grown to see him as the crazy uncle, a role he was more than happy to fulfill.  
They had both been heartbroken when Lucifer informed them that he was leaving on a diplomatic journey and that he was unsure if he would return before they left, Amanda, Dan and Jenna however found it to be a bit of a relief, they had yet to grow accustomed to the peculiarities of their host.  


 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Mainano_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  


“Girls, come here. It's time to feed your little friend again.”  
Takeshi had tried to feed the phoenix egg with his own life-force, but it refused to take it, it would only accept the twins combined power, the pure rainbow energy of their healing powers.  
He could feel its hunger though, and he would have the girls feed it as much as they could safely spare, it left them drained and tired, but in the long run it would help them grow stronger.  
“Remember, you have to raise your power gently, don't startle it.”  
Over the past week the flame within the crystal egg had begun to take the shape of a tiny bird, but it was weak, and growing slowly, it was very rare for a phoenix to actually lay a true egg, most phoenix eggs were actually a part of their regenerative cycle, an adult that burned out and was reborn.  
But this egg was a brand new life, and it would normally have been fed enormous amounts of energy by its parents, fortunately the lack of energy wasn't actually dangerous for it, it only made it grow very slowly.  
Opening himself to their energies he used his own aura to guide and soothe theirs, help them keep the level stable as the phoenix fed, draining them to the point where their began swaying and their energy turned unstable.  
It was with pride that he noted that they were able to sustain the feeding for a much longer duration than they had at first, showing that their reserves were rapidly expanding.  
“Okay, that's enough.”  
With a small spark of energy Takeshi made the phoenix stop feeding so that the girls could withdraw their aura's.  
“How are you feeling?”  
“Sleepy...”  
“No headache or nausea?”  
“No, just sleepy.”  
“Good. Let's get you two to bed so you can recover.”  
Takeshi picked the girls up and shifted them into more comfortable positions on his hips with practiced ease and they instantly clung to his shoulders and neck, but he had only taken a few steps toward the garden entrance when things turned into chaos.  
He felt Hugin's aura flicker and go numb and a split second later the sound of a body hitting the ground, and the twins crying out in concern.  


“Hugin!”  
As he spun around his eyes only confirmed what his other senses already knew, Hugin had collapsed on the ground.  
A moment later Emelie was at his side and he handed her the twins while moving toward Hugin.  
_“Hugin, come one, answer me...”  
_Takeshi searched Hugin's aura and soul for any response, but there was nothing but silence, and pain.  
The sudden appearance of the palace healer pushed Takeshi's instincts over the edge and he crouched over Hugin's fallen form, snarling at the ageless demon.  
“Easy alpha, I am here to aid. I swear on my soul that I mean no harm to you or those who are yours.”  
Fortunately the old healer was well accustomed to dealing with the raging instincts of alphas, and mates, instincts to protect and the oath soothed Takeshi's instincts, allowed him to calm down enough to allow Hugin to be examined.  
“His soul is losing its balance. His brother, is he courting?”  
“Yes, he is with his simora in the human realm. Should we get him back here?”  
“You could, but it would only delay the inevitable slightly. He needs to form a new bond that is strong enough to replace the weakening bond with his brother. He needs someone to step in and become his balance as the simora is doing for his brother.”  
The healer quickly explained that it was common among twins that the bond between them balanced them, and if one of them began courting that bond would weaken, and sometimes it weakened too fast for them to be able to fully adapt, causing their souls to become unbalanced.  
Only the formation of an equal, or stronger bond could save them.  
Takeshi knew this from his studies, but he had hoped Hugin would make it through it on his own.  


“Takeshi, you know what you need to do. I will watch over you pack while you are unavailable.”  
The pack startled slightly when Lucifer spoke up from the doorway, his voice was calm, but carried the full weight of his authority and dominance.  
Takeshi sighed deeply, to save Hugin he would have to use his soul name, he would have to bind him to himself with the strongest bond there was, the bond he had hoped to wait with until it was willingly offered.  
“I know. Take them, and seal this garden with the strongest seals you have. Please...”  
As Takeshi spoke Lucifer walked over to Hugin and carefully picked him up and placed him on one of the piles of furs and pillows, thanks to his size he could easily move Hugin without risking hurting his wings and Takeshi thanked him with a nod and a brush of his aura.  
_“Please, explain to them what I have to do.”_  
He added silently as he watched his pack leave the garden under Lucifer's watchful eye.  
_“I will. You worry about your precious little raven, I will see to the needs of your pack.”  
“Thank you...”  
_

Feeling the seals form around the garden Takeshi joined Hugin among the pillows, carefully moving his wing so that he could reach around the angel for the base of his wings.  
“I am so sorry I have to do this. But I refuse to lose you.”  
With the whispered apology he dug his claws into the sensitive mashen, using the sharp pain to wake Hugin.  
“Take? What's? Why?”  
“Ssh, easy, it's going to be okay. I'm sorry I had to hurt you, but you need to be awake.”  
“Awake? What's happening?”  
Hugin was struggling with the words, mixing Urui and English before reverting to his native language, his ramblings coming out as rapid chirps, voicing his concern about barely feeling his brother.  
“Ssh, I know. Your bond is weakening as his bond with Lissa grows stronger. You need to form a new bond to balance you.”  
The questioning chirp that followed had Takeshi concerned, Hugin was simply too far gone to fully understand him.  
“You are precious to me, I will not allow this to take you from me.”  
With a deep sigh Takeshi pulled Hugin closer and spoke directly to his soul.  
_“You are Mainano, and you are mine! From this day, to the day you find your soulmate all that you are belongs to me, and while you are mine I will be your balance, the pillar of your soul.”_  
The effect was nearly instant, Hugin's soul shifted and latched on to Takeshi's and within seconds it was once again calm and stable.  
“How long?”  
Hugin was still speaking his native tongue, but the song was now calm and clear, the confusion gone.  
“Since about halfway through our first stay here.”  
“Why?”  
The new bond made it clear what Hugin was asking for, but it seemed the deeper understanding only ran one way.  
“You were not aware. I had hoped to wait until you offered it knowingly and willingly. But now I had no choice, it was the only sure way to save you. And I refuse to lose you.”  
When Takeshi pulled Hugin closer there was a few chirps of objection at the force used, but he didn't try to get away.  
_“I can't lose you.”_  
With a small flare of his aura Takeshi disabled the extra layers of protection around the garden, and shortly after he could feel his pack returning.  
When they entered Emelie was trying to keep hold of the twins, but in a display of power that they had never showed before their bodies turned into black smoke and poured from her hands and moments later their pup forms joined Takeshi and Hugin among the pillows, their auras instantly merging into the soothing energy of their healing powers.  
Dan approached slowly, hesitantly and Takeshi could feel his conflicting emotions over their bond.  
_“Is he your mate now?”_  
There was pain and fear reflected in the question and Takeshi shifted slightly to look at Dan.  
_“No, this bond is different. But it is just as strong.”_  
Dan nodded silently and his emotions stilled somewhat, but Takeshi was quite surprised when Dan joined them in the bedding, and instead of curling up to his back as he usually would he curled up behind Hugin and placed his arm around the sleeping angel.  
_“Thank you for understanding.”_  
Takeshi allowed his gratitude to flow over the bond along with the silent words.  
A few minutes later the entire pack was curled around him and Hugin while Lucifer sat at their heads with his wings sheltering them, watching over them as they slept.  


“It's time, isn't it?”  
Lucifer didn't move when Lilith spoke from the door.  
“It has already begun. I can feel the shifting in his aura, he should succumb to the hunger in a day or two.”  
Lilith just nodded and left, leaving the sleeping pack unaware of the exchange.

 


	6. The Blessed Children

  
(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_The Blessed Children_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


“Take, is something wrong? I know you eat a lot, but this is extreme even for you.”  
“I think binding Hugin to me took more out of me than I thought. I'm constantly hungry and tired.”  
“Maybe you should have a word with the healer?”  
Takeshi sighed, he knew Emelie was just worried, but before he had a chance to answer her Lucifer spoke up.  
“The healer won't be able to tell him anything he does not already know.”  
“And that is?”  
Her concern made her snap at Lucifer before glaring at Takeshi.  
“That I need to eat until I'm not hungry anymore.”  
Emelie's glare softened slightly before she walked away with an exasperated hiss.  
“Males...”  
They watched her walk away before Takeshi spoke.  
  


“Food won't be enough, will it?”  
“You already know the answer to that.”  
Lucifer's voice was soft as he offered the inside of his wrist to Takeshi who cursed silently as the vampiric instincts surfaced instantly and he struggled for control as he dragged his elongated fangs against the sensitive skin.  
“That should be all the confirmation you need.”  
Takeshi clamped down on his instincts and forced himself to let go of Lucifer's arm and to look up, to wait for explicit permission to take what he needed.  
“Go ahead.”  
Takeshi stared in hesitation at Lucifer's neck when the old angel tilted his head to the side rather than offer him his arm again.  
“You..?”  
“Yes, go ahead, take the blood you need.”  
In a split second Takeshi had pounced on their host and sunk his fangs deep into the offered flesh, and the feeling of hot blood, brimming with power, washing over his fangs and down his throat made Takeshi sigh in relief.  
“Don't worry about holding back, I'm strong enough to stop you if I reach my limit.”  
It was the feeling of the trust and the strong arms pulling him closer, rather than the words that made Takeshi let go and just let his desire to feed take over.  
  


Takeshi was unsure how much time had passed when Lucifer pried him loose and for a moment he fought it, but then he found a smaller body pressed against him and his head pushed against an offered neck so without further though he sank his fangs in and the moment he tasted the blood all conscious thought vanished.  
“Will he be okay?”  
Through the song of blood the voices around him seemed like the whispers of ghosts and the red fog of intoxication that blanketed his senses made everything but the power and taste of blood seem like a distant dream.  
“He is strong, and he has been through similar awakenings before. He will be suffering from the crimson haze for a while, but he will recover.”  
“Crimson haze?”  
“Blood intoxication. It's quite a high, but the crash afterwards is just as intense.”  
Part of Takeshi knew he should be paying attention to the voices, but another part of him whispered that whatever was said couldn't possibly be more important than the sweetness of the blood he was gorging himself on.  
“Don't go any closer, he is under the influence of the thirst so he might bite you.”  
The words confused him, he was already drinking the sweetest blood imaginable, why would he abandon that to bite someone else?  
  


No more voices were heard for a long time, then he felt himself being pried away from the warm body and sweet blood that he had been enjoying and once again he fought the loss, and once again it was replaced by a new offering.  
The new source while rich was not as sweet and he sniffed around, searching for the sweet blood, but when he couldn't find it he latched back onto what was offered.  
“I do believe he prefers your mother.”  
The voice was soft and teasing, but Takeshi was beyond understanding, all that existed was the thirst and the need to quench it.  
“How much more will he need to feed?”  
“I don't know, but we will take turns feeding him until he has had his fill.”  
His mind was turning slowly, trying to decipher the ghost whispers and a part of him realized that maybe that hot, sweet, blood that had been brimming with power would return.  
  


The next time he was pried away from the blood he didn't fight it, instead he just sniffed around, and quickly found a new source, but this time it tasted strange, like winter and darkness and it was cold like ice.  
The strangeness made him pull back and shake his head, but strong hands pulled his head back against the offered neck.  
“I know my essence feels strange and wrong, but it will nourish you just as richly as any blood.”  
Takeshi knew that voice, trusted that voice so he sank his fangs back into the offering, drinking deeply from the strange not-blood.  
“I know you want to, but you don't have the reserves needed to give him more than a taste. You should wait until he is recovering. He will want to taste all of you then.”  
Takeshi voiced his displeasure at the idea of not being allowed to taste an offering with a low growl.  
“Oh, I don't think he liked that very much.”  
There was laughter and teasing while the dark cool voice of his current meal promised him that he would be allowed to taste later, when his thirst was no longer burning away his control.  
“But Ylian can't give him much more, are you really recovered enough to feed him again?”  
“Don't worry Em, I have had plenty to eat and slept all day, I am almost fully recovered. And your grandmother is making her way through the off-duty soldiers in the barracks, she will be ready to take over after me again if needed. Between the four of us we will be able to feed him indefinitely.”  
Understanding the promise of an unlimited supply of blood calmed the raging instincts some and made Takeshi relax.  
“I think he understood you, he is calmer now, not as desperate.”  
“That's good, then he won't waste as much energy on fighting, and being tense. And his bite shouldn't be causing any more pain.”  
The mention of pain made Takeshi pull back his fangs and kiss the jawline of the cold and dark with an apologetic whine.  
“Ssh, it's okay, we know you didn't mean to cause pain.”  
Feeling the forgiveness more than understanding the words Takeshi carefully sank his fangs back into the offered flesh which rewarded him with a soft moan of pleasure.  
“Not so sure that will be any better.”  
Takeshi ignored the voice and focused on the slight shift in taste of the not-blood, a spicy heat had been added to it, it was still cold as ice, burning cold, but the taste had shifted into something much more pleasant.  
  


“Easy Take, I need to rest and recover. Withdraw your fangs and someone else will take my place.”  
It took a while for his intoxicated mind to process the words, but once he had he withdrew his fangs with a disappointed whine.  
But as promised he found himself lifted into a large, warm lap and strong arms pulled him tightly against a solid chest and his head was gently guided into the crook of a neck where he could smell the spicy and sweet warmth of blood.  
With his mind slightly clearer he took care not to cause any pain and was rewarded with the spicy taste of arousal.  
  


“I never thought I'd say this, but he is actually quite adorable like this, even cute.”  
The words made him growl in objection, but the one who had spoken just laughed.  
“Oh, shush! I'm your mate, I'm allowed to call you cute and adorable.”  
Mate, the word itself didn't mean much to him, but the aura that brushed gently against him did, it was a part of him, a part of his own soul and it was right, the one with that aura, that soul, could call him whatever it wanted to.  
Deciding to ignore the teasing voice that called itself _Mate_ he focused back on the creature he was feeding from, old and powerful, maybe he could tease it a bit, make the blood even richer with the spice of pleasure.  
Letting his hands roam the body underneath him he soon found that it responded eagerly, soft wings brushed against his arms and back so he reached around and found the soft feathers of the most sensitive area and began to gently play with them.  
  


The next time he was asked to withdraw his fangs he did so immediately and was happy to find that it was the one with the burning sweet blood again, but this time he wasn't allowed to tease as much.  
“Don't, if you tease me I might end up feeding from energy you can't spare.”  
Takeshi didn't want to listen, but the voice held power, power that would not be denied, power that made him want to obey, so he did.  
  


Once again the sweet blood was replaced with the rich, but not so sweet, but this time he didn't object, the thirst was not as strong and he was starting to feel sleepy.  
  


When the icy not-blood returned he focused more on bringing back that hot spice than actually feeding and after a few mouthfuls he withdrew his fangs and licked the wound to help it heal before falling asleep on top of the cold one that he knew could be trusted.  
  


 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_The Blessed Children_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


“Finally, I never imagined that he would be able to feed this much. Just what is he going to become that requires this kind of power?”  
Roghan's voice was tired, and filled with an almost hesitant awe.  
“It will be interesting to see indeed. His bond to Hugin triggered this somehow, so his change might be related to Hugin's nature. But we will probably have to wait a few days for him to wake up again.”  
Even with their seer's sight Lucifer and Roghan were unable to gain any hint as to how Takeshi would change  
“Is it safe to approach him now?”  
Emelie slowly approached with the twins clinging to her sides, the entire pack had been hovering nearby the entire time, working together to keep the girls calm, but they were all eager to be close to their alpha again.  
“Safer, but be careful, he might still bite without realizing it.”  
When they approached Ylian tried to nudge Takeshi to the side so that they could get up, but even in his sleep he refused and dug his claws in.  
“It would seem you will have to stand having me around a while longer.”  
“Oh, don't worry Susai, you make for a fairly comfortable bed.”  
Emelie's teasing quip was accompanied by a wide smile as she made herself comfortable on Ylian's right shoulder before patting their chest for the twins to join them.  
The girls instantly shifted to their pup form and curled up on Ylian's chest and with Emelie's wing draped over them they fell asleep almost instantly.  
The rest of the pack gathered around and curled up against their alpha pair, none of them caring in the least about the addition of the shadeling in the bunch.  
  


When Takeshi woke up he instantly began searching for his pack, but only found Ylian.  
“Easy there, they have left to eat and bathe, they will be back in a mark or two.”  
Ylian's words calmed him down and he turned his attention back to the body beneath him, dragging his fangs against the exposed neck.  
“Go ahead, take what you need.”  
The wording made him pause, he didn't really need more, but he wanted to explore the taste that he could faintly remember.  
“Allow me to rephrase. If you want more, then go ahead.”  
Ylian snickered at his hesitation.  
“When I fed from you before, at first you tasted like ice and darkness, but then it changed into something spicy, fire and ice. I want that taste...”  
“How much do you remember of what happened?”  
“Not much, it's all a blur. I remember flavors, feelings, but they are not making much sense.”  
“You were desperate so your control slipped. While in such a state your bite was quite painful.”  
The mention of the pain brought out the same reaction as it had before, a low whine and kisses trailing along Ylian's jawline.  
“You did the same then when you realized you had been causing pain, and after that your bite turned quite pleasurable, and that was what changed the flavor.”  
“I know pleasure changes the flavor of the blood, but never to this extent...”  
“Well, have you ever truly fed like this before?”  
“Once, from Em. It's how I gained these vampiric abilities.”  
“I know that story, but you hadn't really changed then, it was the catalyst. So you have never truly fed since then?”  
“No. Not until now.”  
“Then go ahead. Feed and I will show you just what passion and pleasure can taste like.”  
  


Over the next mark Ylian allowed Takeshi to taste them, to push them to the edge and over, but when Takeshi began to withdraw his fangs and his energy they stopped him.  
“Please, leave it, allow your power to leave its mark.”  
Takeshi instantly froze, to allow oneself to be marked in such a sensitive area was rare, even mates and pack wouldn't always allow such an intimate marking.  
“Are you sure you want to carry such a mark? From me?”  
“I am.”  
Takeshi sank his fangs back and allowed his energy to flow freely, then on a whim he withdrew his fangs and shifted his position slightly, brushing them against the unmarred side of Ylian's neck and they instantly tilted their head to allow him better access.  
When Takeshi once again withdrew his fangs and placed a kiss on the front of Ylian's throat, just below where the Adam's apple would have been had they been a human male he was rewarded with a breathless _Yes!_.  
He hadn't intended to, but Ylian's reaction pulled at his instincts and he sunk his fangs in once again, allowing power to seep into the wound.  
Leaning back he took note of the steady breath and calm heartbeat, but he knew better than to believe it meant that the shadeling was calm, breath and heartbeat were just illusions, a part of the chosen form and was controlled by Ylian's will, not their actual emotional or physical state.  
Instead he watched the hooded eyes and the way the dark wisps of energy flowed around them, and that told him of a barely maintained control.  
The power he had seeded into the three bites was swirling and combining, forming a pattern that looked like a choker necklace , at first it was a solid black band, then swirls of red appeared and the black and red began to drip down from the band, forming a scale pattern.  
It was just a few scales wide at the shoulders, but it tapered down toward the sternum where Takeshi counted ten scales from the band of the choker that was no longer solid, but instead took the appearance of an intricate chain mail.  
  


“Are you sure? It's quite large.”  
Takeshi trailed his claws along the edges of the mark, prepared to pull back the power before it settled fully, but Ylian just closed their eyes and nodded.  
“Thank you...”  
Takeshi's whispered words made Ylian open their eyes and look at him in question.  
“Ever since I acted as para for you I have wanted to mark you. I just never thought you would actually allow it. You are royalty by birth, and by power, and I am not even a demon.”  
For a moment Ylian just stared at him, slight disbelief in their eyes, then suddenly they smiled and pulled him down into a hug.  
“Sometimes I forget that you are not a demon, that you have only had a few years to learn about our ways.”  
Ylian traced the mark that they and their spawns had left on Takeshi's chest.  
“I chose you as para, I wouldn't have if I didn't believe you to be worthy. Simple marks as these are insignificant in comparison.”  
Ylian paused for a moment, as if trying to make up their mind about something and when they spoke again their voice was barely a whisper.  
  


“The part of me that is pana loves you fiercely, and has longed to bear your mark.”  
The confession left Takeshi stunned for a moment before he leaned in and claimed a soft kiss that made his soul ache.  
The love of a demon, even a fragmented one as this was far more intense than most human love, an intensity that briefly made Takeshi feel it as if it had been his own, but before he could explore it further he felt Emelie flare her aura to alert them that the pack was returning.  
“I hope we can explore this further some other time.”  
Takeshi was reluctant to break the kiss.  
“Oh, we will. I won't let you get away this easy. I will teach you a few lessons about love from a demon's point of view.”  
Ylian's voice held a promise that sent a shiver down Takeshi's spine.  
“Take! Susai... You two are incorrigible! Why don't you just get a room?”  
The scolded pair just smiled at Emelie before Takeshi caught her tail and pulled her down into the bedding.  
“My own susai getting it on with my mate, a girl could get scarred by less....”  
Her mock complaint triggered a bout of good natured teasing and before long the pack had settled down into their own brand of calm chaos.  
  


  


(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_The Blessed Children_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


“Are you sure you're okay?”  
“Yes, sweetie. I'm almost fully recovered, another day or two and I should be able to test the changes.”  
“And care to share what those changes are?”  
“Of course... Not.”  
Takeshi and Emelie has shared several similar exchanges in the past few days and Emelie gave him a frustrated hiss at his refusal to tell her what kind of changes he had undergone.  
The change was simple, but yet profound and Takeshi intended to show them all once he had recovered his strength, and control.  
  


“Come on girls, hurry up. You don't want to miss Take's big reveal now do you?”  
Dan's teasing threat had the twins scampering to get dressed in record time.  
A few minutes later the pack and Hugin were gathered in Lucifer's large, personal garden, along with their host, Lilith, Roghan and Ylian and the spawns.  
With everyone present Takeshi stepped into the open area in the middle and allowed the power of the shift overtake him.  
“I didn't expect that...”  
“Wow!”  
“Daddy looks just like Hugin!”  
“Indeed he does. Even I would believe him to be an Obsidian Angel like that.”  
Lucifer brushed his aura against Takeshi's and nodded his approval before stepping closer and brushing his hand against the large wings which made Takeshi shiver.  
“It seems you adopt some of the instincts of your form as well.”  
“I always have.”  
When Lucifer inched his hand toward the base of the wings Takeshi quickly abandoned the borrowed form and replaced it with that of a shadeling which made Lucifer jump back with a startled chirp.  
“So far I can only seem to shift into the species of those I have bonds with.”  
“Only? You really are a strange one.”  
Before Takeshi could respond to Lucifer he found himself at the receiving end of the attention of a rather energetic shadeling as Ylian took the opportunity to test just how complete his transformation was.  
  


“It's very draining though. I don't think I will be able to shift like this in the human realm.”  
“Don't worry, I'm sure you will eventually learn to. And if not, you could always restore the balance, that would give you access to just as much power in the human realm.”  
Lilith's tone was teasing, but Takeshi new there was a deadly seriousness beneath it.  
“I don't know... I have no idea what to do, and I have no idea if I have the strength needed.”  
“Take, the Mother didn't chose you on a whim. The fates have been meticulously weaving their threads for generations to make sure you were born and that your companions were brought to your side.”  
“Still, everyone here is so much stronger than me, and yet **I'm** supposed to be the one to save them...”  
“We have raw power yes, but you have just begun to unlock your true strength. Surely you must be aware by now that you are a Potential?”  
“I suspected as much. But I don't understand it.”  
Lilith sighed softly before motioning for him to follow her.  
“Call your pack. It's time you all learn about the Avatars, what we are, what we can do, and what it means to be one, to become one.”  
  


  


(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_The Blessed Children_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


“Thank you for your hospitality.”  
The entire pack spoke as one and Lucifer accepted their words with a slight nod.  
Normally he wouldn't have bothered with such formalities, but another Lord and his family was visiting so it was necessary to keep up appearances, at least to some extent, the other Lord still glared at the lack of titles though, but Lucifer ignored him in favor for bidding his guests farewell.  
They promised to try to return, but it would be many years, even for them it would probably be several years, and there was always a risk they would never return as their world was gearing for war.  
  


Outside the palace Ylian and the spawns waited for them to say their goodbyes, and walk them to the gateway.  
In the end Ylian followed them through the borderlands, taking the opportunity to allow the spawns to get their first taste of the human realm, a taste they quickly decided they didn’t like and scurried back to their pana.  
“Will they be okay here?”  
“Don’t worry Em, they are latching onto my energy. They will be fine as long as I am.”  
Watching the way his youngest children clung to their pana for nourishment solidified Takeshi’s determination even further, and the long conversations and lessons with Lilith had given him a better idea of what the future might have in store for him.  
“Take care out there, all of you.”  
“We will susai.”  
Emelie and the others quickly promised to be careful while Takeshi kneeled down to talk to the spawns.  
“You behave, and take good care of your pana. Yi is someone I care very much about.”  
“We will!”  
They all promised to be nice and listen to their pana so Takeshi turned his attention to said pana.  
“Will you watch over what is mine?”  
“I will. I will protect your house as if it were my own.”  
_“And take care of yourself as well.”_  
The last part was added silently as Takeshi gave Ylian a kiss goodbye.  
“Okay, let’s get moving before I end up having my susai for co-mate!”  
Emelie huffed in complaint when the kiss lingered on longer and longer, but she didn't do anything to stop it, as would be her right both as soulmate and co-alpha.  
“I think I better listen to my mate.”  
“That does sound like the wise thing to do.”  
Takeshi placed a kiss on the forehead of each of the spawns before turning to walk away, but something made him pause, his instincts urging him to act he gathered a bit of his energy and placed it against the mark he had placed around Ylian's neck, allowing it to flow into the mark.  
Much to his surprise Ylian did the same, but with a knowing, and downright naughty smile.  
“Walk with pride.”  
“Walk with pride.”  
Takeshi mirrored Ylian's farewell as he walked toward his pack.  
  


“ _That is a perfect example of demonic love.”_  
Hugin began to explain to Emelie as his brother was not there to do so.  
_“Oh, how come?”  
“Instead of making promises to see each other again, or to always remember each other they simply gave each other a small fragment of their souls.”_  
Hugin explained how the fragment of the soul would allow one to claim, and protect, what was important to the other in case one of them was killed before they met again.  
_“There are formal words to go with it, but they are rarely spoken.”  
“What are they?”  
“They vary a bit between the species and are hard to translate.”_  
There was a long silence as Hugin searched for the right words.  
_“I guess that means I should ask your brother the bookworm what they are?”  
“Please...”_  
Hugin ducked his head slightly in embarrassment.  
_“I guess this means there is a real chance that I might one day end up with my susai as a co-mate?”  
“Unless you object, using your right as soulmate and co-alpha.”  
“I doubt I will, it might be strange to my human sensibilities. But to the demon me it's a sound strategy to ensure a strong bloodline. And I like yi well enough.”_  
Their silent conversation ended as Takeshi joined them, and together they stepped out of the part of Dimmuborgir that was in the borderlands and entered the part that was in the human realm.  
  


  


(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_The Blessed Children_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


“I am truly sorry Takeshi iero, brother. I did not properly consider all the potential consequences of deepening the bond with my simora.”  
Munin's wings were hanging limply behind him, showing his deep shame for having almost caused his brother's demise.  
“You are the scholar, you should have been aware of the risk and taken precautions to ensure your brother's safety while you were unable to actively monitor his reactions.”  
Takeshi's voice was sharp and his words harsh and for the moment his aura was rejecting Munin's.  
_“Please Take, alpha, yemo, don't be too harsh on him. He meant no harm...”_  
Hugin silently begged for leniency on his brother's behalf, even going as far as addressing Takeshi with _Yemo_ , the male form of _Yemi_ , Head of House.  
_“I won't amo, but I won't go easy on him either. His preoccupation with the courting put you at risk. Almost costing you your life, and me my precious Mainano.”  
“But it was also what gave birth to this bond. I don't know if I would have even been able to gather the courage to actually outright tell you my soul-name. To me, almost dying was worth it!”_  
The last part carried such a solid conviction that Takeshi finally relented and brushed his aura against Munin's before brushing his hand against his mashen to let him know that his apology was accepted.  
He was not yet forgiven, but he was granted a chance to prove that he had learned from his mistake, a chance to earn forgiveness and his wings still hung low when he rose to his feet and walked back to Melissa.  
When Munin walked inside the house Melissa lingered behind and after a moment's hesitation, she walked over to Takeshi and Hugin and knelt down with her head hanging low.  
  


“This is my fault as well. I'm the one who pushed and insisted on exploring this bond, insisted on deepening it.”  
“No Lissa. You knew nothing of the potential consequences, he did. He should have explained them to you, made sure you fully understood why he had to take it slow.”  
“But...”  
“No.”  
For a moment it seemed like she would insist, but then she faltered and nodded her acceptance before hurrying to catch up with her simaro.  
“I'm sorry...”  
Hugin's voice was solemn, despite Takeshi's efforts he was still blaming himself for the current unrest in the estate.  
“Amo, please stop. None of this is your fault.”  
Pulling Hugin into a tight embrace Takeshi continued silently.  
_“Please stop hurting yourself over this. I need you to be able to take care of not only yourself, but the girls as well. I need you to be the heart of my house while I am away, to be their emotional anchor.”  
_At first it seemed to have the opposite effect, Hugin's pain growing more intense as the moments passed by. _  
“Please, Mainano. I need you to let go, to be okay. Please...”  
_Takeshi could have used Hugin's soul-name to order him to stop, to be _Okay_ , but he didn't, instead he asked, almost begged for him to be and much to Takeshi's relief it was slowly working.  
With a deep sigh Hugin settled down into his arms and allowed himself to be lulled into an almost-sleep.  
  


Managing his pack, his house, was a lot of work, sometimes it was frustrating and tiring, sometimes it was a delicate balancing act, like defusing a live bomb, and sometimes it made his very heart and soul ache with an almost unbearable pain.  
But at times like this it was all worth it, the rising sense of contentment over the bond was a balm to his soul and evoked a warm joy deep within.  
Centering himself Takeshi began to investigate the bond that tied Hugin, _Mainano_ , to him, and he began to look within himself to find and make sense of his own feelings on the matter, but before he had a chance to he felt a rather insistent pulling over the bond, it wasn't quite a demand, but not far from.  
“Amo?”  
With that single word Takeshi bid Hugin to speak what was on his mind.  
“I want you to make me a promise. An oath as binding for you as this bond is for me.”  
“I can't promise anything without knowing what you intend to ask of me. But I promise I will give it proper consideration.”  
“I want you to swear that you won't explore this bond any further until you have resolved your courting with Dan. He deserves as much.”  
“Indeed he does. But I will not end my courting of him unless he asks me to break it, or if I learn to truly love him and mate him.”  
“Sometimes you can be such a fool...”  
Hugin sighed deeply and shook his head as he gently scolded Takeshi.  
“Oh? Please do tell me why...”  
There was a hint of displeased sharpness in Takeshi's voice, demon instincts demanding that he reprimand the insult, but he refused to do so without knowing the reason behind Hugin's words.  
“You keep trying to evaluate your feelings for Dan based on your feelings for your chosen females. First of all, had Logan not been an alpha Dan would have been your beta, this alone will make your instincts respond differently to him. And he is not female, if anything I believe he would feel quite comfortable if we referred to him as _Yi_ now that he understands what it means.”  
  


Hugin's words made Takeshi pause and think and he realized Hugin was right, he had been judging his feelings for Dan based on how his love for the females in his life felt, not stopping to consider that loving a male, one that was his true beta might feel different.  
As for the comment about using the genderless Yi for Dan he fully agreed with Hugin, he suspected that Dan would eventually ask to be referred to as such, at least by the pack and the members of houses Shamarai and Miri.  
Dan had spent quite a lot of time with Ylian, speaking about how it was to be genderless and Takeshi knew they had also spent time working with the fragment of shadow power that had transferred during Dan's transformation.  
He hadn't asked about it though, he trusted Ylian would not harm those who were his and Dan would surely tell him, or show him, when he was ready.  
“A fool indeed. Very well, you will have my word.”  
As always Takeshi wanted to bind his word into something tangible but nothing came to mind, then he remembered the way he had left a small fragment of his soul with Ylian, imbued into the mark.  
“Hugin, as I don't know my own soul-name, or if I even have one I can't give you an oath as binding as the bond. But would you accept my mark, and a piece of my soul in its place?”  
For a moment Hugin stared at him with wide eyes, shocked that Takeshi even considered offering his own soul-name then he broke into a wide smile.  
“Yes! I will gladly bear your mark.”  
“Then come here, chosoe where you wish to be marked.”  
Hugin instantly blushed the purest black Takeshi had ever seen before taking one step closer, turning around and kneeling down before unfolding his wings to offer Takeshi the sensitive mashen.  
“Are you sure? A mark like that would be excruciatingly painful.”  
“A pain that will be well worth suffering unless you order me not to feel it.”  
Hugin's words reminded Takeshi of just how total the control the soul-name allowed for.  
“It's settled then. Come, let's go to the Sanctuary where the others won't be able to sense us.”  
It wasn't the only reason why Takeshi wanted to do it there though, at the Sanctuary he could ask the Mother to aid in keeping Hugin upright, and still, just like she had done with Dan when Takeshi healed his eyes.  
  


“Allow me...”  
Takeshi began to undo the bindings of Hugin's armor and the angel turned slightly to make it easier to remove it, and the tunic beneath.  
“Beautiful...”  
The murmured words made Hugin's skin darken again and the involuntary chirps spoke of embarrassment and denial.  
“Ah, but you are. Even among the Obsidian you always managed to draw my eye.”  
“Plain, insignificant, drab...”  
A sharp nip to the exposed throat stopped the low chirps, while the brothers were no challenge for the stunning beauty of their Lord, they were still good looking, even by demon standards.  
Hugin was about to say something more, but when Takeshi hooked a clawed finger into the waistline of his simple pants his objections stilled.  
“I wish to see all of you while I place my mark.”  
Hugin nodded and allowed Takeshi to undo the knot and remove the soft leather pants and the simple underwear, similar to a jockstrap that acted as extra padding under the groin armor.  
Standing naked before Takeshi Hugin pulled himself straight, squared his shoulders and allowed his wings to settle into the relaxed, but authoritative posture that was second nature to all the guards.  
It was a posture that showed pride, power and authority but without being overtly dominant and it lit a familiar fire in Takeshi and with the clothes and armor gone it was obvious that Hugin was equally affected.  
When Takeshi motioned for him to turn around he quickly obeyed and began to lower himself to the ground but when he was met by rising roots he let out a small, surprised chirp.  
“Don't worry. I asked the Mother to aid you. She will keep you steady and give you something to hold on to.”  
The explanation was accepted with a small chirp of gratitude as Hugin steeled himself for the pain he knew would come and when Takeshi placed his hand on the mashed Hugin struggled for a moment to drape his wings across the supportive root and force himself to relax.  
“Ready?”  
Hugin didn't answer, he merely gave a short, stiff nod.  
  


Reaching for the mashen Takeshi gave it a gentle brush before taking hold of a feather and plucking it with a swift, sharp pull and placing it to the side before moving on to the next one.  
Working quickly Takeshi plucked the mashen clean one or a few feathers at a time depending on how they grew, fighting the urge to stop and soother Hugin's pained chirps.  
Leaning in he placed his fangs against the mashen and whispered against Hugin's ear.  
“Mainano, hear me, heed me! You will know if you are at risk of injury, and you will alert me if so is the case, but from now until I say otherwise you will feel no pain, only pleasure.”  
He didn't wait for Hugin to acknowledge the order, instead he sank his fangs into the sensitive flesh and began to pour his power into it.  
Takeshi kept pouring power through his fangs until he could feel Hugin's aura rise slightly in objection, when it did he eased back slightly, but he didn't stop the flow, instead he waited to see if Hugin would settle down.  
It took a few minutes, but Hugin's aura did settle down and Takeshi pushed a bit more power through until the subdued aura flared again, this time more sharply, alerting Takeshi that the angel beneath him had reached his limit.  
Withdrawing his fangs he gently licked at the small wounds to make them heal faster before pulling back slightly to watch his power twist and flow just under Hugin's skin.  
With a thought aimed toward the massive presence at the edge of his senses Takeshi began to slowly brush his fingers against the large black wings as the roots moved slightly to help Hugin stand.  
“Now, Mainano, your senses will slowly return to normal.”  
As Hugin was released from the order not to feel any pain he began to voice small chirps of discomfort, but there was none of the intense pain he would have felt while Takeshi bit into the base of his wings.  
Rising to his feet with the help of the vines and roots he instinctively wrapped his wings tightly around himself to try to fight off the invading energy.  
“Easy, relax. Let me look at you.”  
As he spoke Takeshi gently brushed the wings aside and placed his hands on Hugin's shoulders.  
“Trying. Pain. It's inside!”  
When Hugin began to claw at his skin Takeshi caught his hands and placed them against his own chest to keep the overwhelmed angel from hurting himself.  
“Ssh, it's just me, remember? My mark, my power.”  
After a few moments the information seemed to filter through and Hugin calmed down somewhat, then after a few more moments his wings unfurled so that Takeshi could see the smoky wisps or power spread over his skin.  
  


At first the power moved slowly, most of it gathered around the base of the wings and slowly reaching out, almost tentatively and Takeshi could tell from the slightly pained chirps that Hugin was still trying to resist a bit.  
“Hugin, please stop fighting it. Embrace the power, guide it, tell it what you want it to be. Trust me, it will heed your wish, take the form you want it to have.”  
Hugin nodded slightly and gave a chirp of confirmation before taking a deep breath and soon his face morphed into a look of focused determination.  
While Takeshi slowly circled around to get a better look he noticed that the wisps of black power were becoming more defined, morphing into something that looked more like crawling vines than wisps of smoke.  
The thin black vines began to slowly crawl across Hugin's skin in a symmetric pattern, around his torso, over his shoulders and hips, then out along his arms and legs.  
Once they had wrapped fully around his body they stilled for a moment, then began to shiver and split apart, forming the outline for a pattern that looked like a flame tribal and moments later they stopped again.  
Hugin voiced a few strained chirps as his body began shivering intensely under the strain to try to control Takeshi's power within his own body, it didn't last very long though before a sharp cry tore from his throat and black power rushed from the base of his wings and filled the outlines formed by the thin vines.  
The power quickly filled out the pattern and pulsed a few times before settling down, but the tension in Hugin's body told Takeshi that it wasn't completely done yet and after a few moments cracks of red began to form throughout the black markings and a fiery glow permeated the mark, making it stand out in contrast to Hugin's dark skin.  
The effect was absolutely stunning, the flame tribal looked like glowing embers against the black tint of Hugin's skin, and Takeshi suspected the effect would be even more stunning if the skin was darkened from a deep blush.  
He was slightly disappointed though when the glow faded a bit when Hugin relaxed as the mark settled fully, Takeshi did notice though that one part was different.  
At the top of the sternum was a perfect circle connected to the flames around it, and inside a thin outline of a shamarai flower and Takeshi instinctively knew that its purpose was to house the fragment of his soul.  
“Magnificent...”  
He traced the patterns on Hugin's chest with his claws before leaning in and placing a kiss on the symbol of his house.  
“Are you ready?”  
Hugin just nodded with a faint smile, exhausted by the marking.  
Takeshi carefully pulled up a fragment of his soul and encased it in power before placing it against Hugin's skin and watching it sink into the mark and bring the flower to life.  
The shamarai flower filled in and came to life, and with it the ember glow of the mark intensified once again, much to Takeshi's joy.  
“It feels nice. Does it look okay?”  
The way Hugin smiled absentmindedly and placed his hands over the shamarai made Takeshi smile and kiss his forehead.  
“Of course it does, you used my power well and made yourself quite an amazing mark.”  
  


  


(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_The Blessed Children_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


When they returned to the house they were instantly met by the twins who glared at Takeshi when they sensed Hugin's lingering pain.  
“Girls, you know that sometimes a bit of pain can't be avoided, so how about you see if you can help him regrow his feathers instead of glaring at me?”  
They both hurried over to Hugin who humored them by laying down among the pillows so they could reach the base of his wings, but they didn't stop glaring at Takeshi until the healing distracted them.  
“Daddy, I think we might have done something wrong.”  
Maria sounded downright devastated.  
“Why, what's wrong?”  
Takeshi couldn't feel anything wrong over the bond so it didn't seem like something serious.  
“The new feathers, they don't look like the old feathers.”  
Their words sparked an intense curiosity in Takeshi and he could feel Hugin mirror it, but with a slight concern mixed in.  
He almost laughed when he saw what had the girls so worried, the new feathers had a slight red glow along the shaft and rachis, even the barbs had a slight glow closest to the rachis.  
“Don't worry, that glow is caused by my mark. It's quite possible that all his new feathers will have a similar color from now on. Especially when they have just formed.”  
Hugin was twisting and turning, trying to see what the new feathers looked like so Takeshi asked Angel to show him.  
“How strange... I like it, it looks like your aura.”  
“Angel, why don't you show him what his mark looks like as well?”  
“Of course. It looks rather stunning, and it suits him well.”  
When the holographic image changed Hugin was staring at it, then back to himself as if he doubted the accuracy of the image.  
“It's perfect, even better than I imagined. I never could have imagined this color...”  
There was a moment of silence, then Hugin pounced on Takeshi and gave him an energetic kiss of gratitude.  
The kiss only lasted for a brief moment before Hugin did as he was prone to when emotionally overwhelmed and fled to his raven form, giving Takeshi a face full of feathers before settling on his shoulder, gently worrying his ear.  
“Daddy, look! He's so pretty.”  
At Maria's awed whisper Takeshi took a look at Hugin and he had to agree with her.  
Even in his raven form his feathers had the red glow, and at the bottom of each tail feather was a small shamarai flower, like the eyes of a peacock, but only someone with the ability to see auras would be able to tell he wasn't a regular raven.  
“He **is** magnificent, isn't he?”  
The others quickly agreed which caused a somewhat defiant caw from Hugin, and an increased forcefulness in the worrying of Takeshi's ear.  
  


Hugin spent the entire meal perched on Takeshi's shoulder and the girls all offered him treats from their plates to help him calm down.  
Even when they settled down after the meal he refused to change back, but everyone had grown accustomed to his coping mechanism so no one was concerned, he would change back when he was ready.  
Takeshi looked at the people gathered, his friends, his family, his house, his pack, he watched them smile and talk, and it pained him to think of what he was about to talk to them about.  
  


“Girls, there is something important that I need to talk to you about. And it's not going to be a fun topic, I'm sorry.”  
They instantly settled down and curled up against each other and the adults before focusing back on him.  
“The world is heading toward war, and things like that will begin to happen more and more frequently until the balance is restored. This means life won't be as safe anymore.”  
He could feel their fear rising so he quickly pushed on before they lost focus.  
“I won't always be able to be there to protect you, so I would like you all to consider an offer. I would like to change you all, give you the blessing so that you will be stronger, better prepared to survive the upcoming challenges.”  
At first they all stared at him, then they slowly began nodding, one by one.  
“Eriko, you will have to make the choice for little Takara, I would like to change her as well, but she is much too young to chose herself.”  
Eriko just gave him a short nod, but as expected Thomas shook his head when he looked at him.  
  


“What will we become when we change?”  
Anne asked the question that the girls all seemed to be wanting to ask.  
“You will become whatever your soul decides you should be.”  
“So, you don't know?”  
“Exactly.”  
The admission did make them hesitate for a moment, but not for very long and soon Carol stood before him with a slightly nervous shifting of her feet.  
“I'm the oldest so I go first, right?”  
“That's right. Come here.”  
Takeshi patted his lap.  
“Remember, this hurts more if you try to fight it, and once I start it I have to finish or it will kill you. So if you fight I have to hold on to you, force you to be still.”  
“I know.”  
Takeshi suppressed a sigh when he picked up a slight hint of arousal in her scent as she clung to him, the girls were growing up fast, and it would seem like none of them viewed him as a father, but rather a potential Guide and lover.  
Though, he would be lying if he claimed to be against the idea, they were all growing into beautiful young women and he had learned to enjoy being the Guide for the First Rites and while a small part of him looked at them as daughters the powerful call of his instincts said otherwise.  
His instincts acknowledged them as daughters of his house, but they were not blood and as such they were fair game.  
  


Takeshi shifted Carol slightly to make it easier to reach the spot where her right shoulder connected with her neck.  
Leaning in he gave the spot a teasing kiss before sinking his fangs in and taking a few drops of blood to assess her health to make sure she would be able to handle the power and the change.  
Assured that it was safe he began to pour the power into the small wounds and to his relief there was no struggle at all, the power flowed freely and without resistance.  
When he withdrew his fangs she made soft noise of disappointment, but she remained in her position, resting her head against his shoulder and he could see a black mark forming on her shoulder, the shamarai flower of his house.  
While he watched tiny blue scales began to form around the mark, revealing her chosen form to be some kind of serpent, but Takeshi found himself hoping that she would be strong enough to be a hybrid, or a dragon.  
He would have to explore the changes later, for now he needed to change the other girls so he carefully set Carol aside and as he did Knight picked her up and carried her to one of the piles of bedding scattered around the inner garden.  
  


As soon as he had set Carol aside Alice stepped up slowly, but calmly, and he nodded for her to have a seat.  
“I know, it will hurt more if I fight, and you might need to restrain me.”  
There was a slight nervous hint in her voice as she spoke and tried to find a comfortable seat and the almost electric tingle when her hand touched the skin of his shoulder told him why.  
_“You really should try to find someone else to offer your heart to. Someone who can return your feelings and be yours.”_  
She instantly snatched her hand back, then froze for a moment before slowly reaching out again.  
_“And if I don't, will you refuse me, reject me?”_  
Takeshi took her hand and placed it back on his shoulder before answering her.  
_“No. I might never return those feelings, but I won't reject them, or you, for having them.”  
_Gently pulling her close he leaned in and placed a kiss on the spot where he would soon sink his fangs in, this time though the kiss wasn't teasing, instead it was soft, a promise.  
When he sank his fangs in and tasted her blood he could feel her aura shift slightly in anticipation, and when he began to pour the power of the Blessing into her she opened up and welcomed it almost eagerly.  
As the flow of power ebbed away he could feel her reach out, trying to form a bond but as it was not a good time he gently evaded the searching energy.  
_“Not now, but if you still desire to form a deeper bond when we return from out search for Atlantis, I will welcome you to the pack.”  
“Really? Promise?”  
“I promise.”_  
When she reached up to kiss him he stopped her and shook his head.  
_“I am willing to help you explore this later, but right now you need to rest.”_  
He could feel a slight disappointment from her, but she didn't resist when Hugin picked her up and carried her to the bedding.  
The last thing Takeshi saw before Hugin's wings blocked the view was a smattering of tiny white feathers forming around her face, and her eyes turning bright gold with a black ring that brought the snowy owl to mind.  
  


  


(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_The Blessed Children_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


After handing Amber to Jenna Takeshi turned to Eriko and the little girl in her arms.  
Eriko had named the little orphan girl Takara, _Treasure_ , and she had grown into a small, but healthy girl under her care.  
“Eriko, with your permission I would like to take some of your blood first, and use it to bind Takara to your house instead of mine, make her Takara of the Silver House rather than Takara of House Shamarai.”  
Eriko didn't speak, she just held out her arm for him and he quickly bit down and took a few drops of her blood, then with blood still on his fangs he carefully bit down on Takara's shoulder and allowed the power to flow.  
“Kiryu-sama!”  
The shocked whisper as he withdrew his fangs made him look down at the girl in Eriko's arms and what he saw made him smile.  
Soft silver fur was forming all over her body, a pair of large, expressive, fox ears crowned her head and he could see that something squirmed under her clothes so he carefully moved them aside to reveal a pair of silver tails.  
_“She is Kitsune! You made her Kitsune! How?”  
_Eriko was nearly blabbering in Japanese and even Takeshi was hard pressed to understand her with the ancient form she was using.  
“The Blessing is power, power and change. In its purest form it grants the power to become stronger, to become whatever suits you the best. With the aid of your blood she became what she needs to be, Kitsune, a daughter of the Silver House.”  
With a somewhat hesitant expression Eriko leaned in and sniffed at Takara, then she followed up with probing her aura.  
“She's mine... You made her of my blood. A kit of my own...”  
As she spoke tears were flowing freely down her face and when she was done she took one more look at the toddler tuned kit before kneeling down into _Dogeza_ , or kowtow, in modern Japanese culture the gesture was used show a deep apology, but it had other meanings in the past, and Eriko used it to show a gratitude she could not find words for.  
“Rise and take care of the new daughter of your house. All I ask is that if the time ever comes, you care for my House as you would your own.”  
“I will!”  
A fox geas flashed for a brief moment before she turned and carried Takara to one of the piles of pillows where she set down the kit and shifted to her own fox form and curled around the tiny creature.  
  


  


(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_The Blessed Children_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)  
  


”Jenna, can I have a word with you please?”  
Takeshi had just tucked the twins in for the night and it was time to move on to the point of his long list of things to do before they left for Atlantis.  
“Of course, what's on your mind?”  
“With your permission I would like to send a few guardians to your parents farm.”  
“What kind of guardians?”  
“In Urui they are called _Umarita,_ but Lucifer told me that a proper English name would be _Hellfox_.”  
“Was that those really long legged ones that looked a bit like _Maned Wolves_?”  
“Yes, those are the ones, while in the human realm they will pretend to be maned wolves, only showing their true nature if they need to call their powers. I would however prefer if your family at least know what they truly are.”  
“Of course. I'm sure they won't have any problems with it. Mom might be a bit worried about the chickens, but I bet you already have a solution?”  
“Yeah, a summoning circle. Suitable meat will be sent through daily and they will gladly eat whatever scraps they are offered. Despite their looks the Umarita are actually higher demons so they are just as intelligent as you or me. They understand English but have limited verbal communication abilities.”  
“I guess it's settled then.”  
“Good, we will leave tomorrow morning and if we come to an agreement I will summon them there.”  
“And if my parents refuse?”  
“Then I will wait until nightfall and summon them somewhere away from the house.”  
“Thanks...”  
  


“Jenna, wake up, it's time to leave.”  
“Take, it's still dark outside...”  
Jenna's mumbled objections made Takeshi shake his head, it didn't matter what time you woke her up, she always complained.  
“Time zones, remember?”  
Another deep sigh was followed by grumbling about what she would do if she ever met whoever had invented time zones.  
But when she turned over to go back to sleep Takeshi picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder, which earned him a few solid blows before she settled down with a huff.  
When they reached the Blackout Jenna's travel bag and some extra clothes waited for her on one of the seats, though she complained about him spiriting her away without a shower.  
  


It was still fairly early when Takeshi carefully set the Blackout down in one of the unused pastures and before he even had a chance to cut the engine they spotted Meghan running toward them.  
“Jen! Take!”  
She threw herself at Jenna before quickly moving on to Takeshi, and taking the opportunity to cop herself a feel which Takeshi returned in kind much to Jenna's amusement.  
_“Do you intend to sleep with her?”  
“If she offers I won't refuse her.”  
“You better show her just how damn good you can be if she does.”  
“Of course.”_  
The silent conversation was equal parts serious and teasing as they followed Meghan up to the main house.  
As expected they were invited to share the midday meal and the time was spent with idle conversation and once the after meal coffee had been poured Takeshi began to approach the intended topic for their little visit.  
“As you have probably already figured, this isn't just a social call. The world is quickly falling apart.”  
“No kidding, it's like a gathering of the Horsemen out there. War, Pestilence and Famine waiting for their dear brother Death to arrive.”  
“Indeed. And in light of this I would like to offer you a measure of protection. You are important to Jenna, and she is very important to me.”  
There was a brief moment of silence before Jenna's mother spoke up.  
“Jenna Louise Addams! Are you sleeping with a married man?”  
Jenna blushed vividly and spluttered for a moment before she found her voice again.  
“Well, technically, no...”  
“Jenna!”  
While Takeshi found the situation highly amusing he decided to take pity on Jenna and help her out.  
“She is right, technically, as Em and I are not actually married. But worry not Mrs Addams, my mate is aware of, and approves of, our relationship.”  
“Mate?”  
Takeshi took a deep breath and began to explain all the strangeness that was his life, he showed them his shift, and Jenna showed them hers, then they both waited for them to digest the information.  
  


By the time Jenna's family joined them in the garden the sun had begun to set.  
“So, can you accept to be protected by demons?”  
“I don't know. But my daughter believes it to be a good idea so I will trust her.”  
Jenna's father sighed deeply as he spoke.  
“It's settled then. If you step back I will summon your guardians.”  
“You said they will look like maned wolves?”  
“They will while they are here, but they will appear in their true forms so you will know what they really look like.”  
“How many of them?”  
“It's a family of five, an adult pair and their three spawns.”  
“Spawns?”  
“They are part shadow, so their offspring are usually considered spawns, but you could call them pups or kits as well.”  
With his questions answered Mark stepped back to allow Takeshi to do his thing, though despite everything he was still not entirely sure it wasn't some kind of elaborate prank.  
  


“They are cute! In a scary kinda way...”  
Meghan instantly fell in love with the spindly spawns as they tumbled around the garden, exploring it in their true forms, all spikes, fangs, claws and impossibly long limbs.  
“Is that safe for them? Many of those plants are poisonous to animals.”  
“Don't worry, they are demons and demons are generally very tolerant to toxins. Also, if you pay attention you will see that the spawns will not eat anything the parents haven't tasted.”  
Takeshi picked a few figs from one of the trees in the large garden and called the adult creatures over, offering them each one of the ripe fruits.  
“As with most other pack demons it's important to mind the rankings of the pack. The alpha male is the dominant member, always offer him food and treats first. He is larger, his spikes and mane more prominent, and his colors bolder.”  
Takeshi explained demonic pack dynamics, and that they should always offer things to the alpha male first and that he would let them know if it was safe.  
“But how will we know?”  
“They understand English just fine, but they have limited ability to vocalize. Barks, growls and wines along with body language. But if you talk to them you can agree on a simple language of your own.”  
“Like one bark for yes and two for no?”  
Meghan looked at the alpha male with avid curiosity and almost fell back when he gave a single sharp bark that was a very accurate mimic of the maned wolves roar-bark.  
Taking a few of the figs she held it out for the alpha.  
“Is this safe for the little ones?”  
The alpha took one of the fruits and made short work of it before giving a single bark.  
“Can I give them a few?”  
The answer was a sharp bark followed by three soft yips.  
“So, yes, and three each?”  
Another sharp bark confirmed her guess and she smiled widely as she picked more figs to give to the spawns.  
  


“Jen, Take, can I come in?”  
“Of course, come right in.”  
Takeshi and Jenna had been invited to stay the night and head back to the island in the morning so they rested in one of the unused cottages where the seasonal worked would normally live.  
“Hey, Take. You mentioned that your mate was fine with you and Jen getting it on. Would she object to me trying to lure you to bed for the night?”  
“Would you respect it if she did?”  
“Of course!”  
The incredulous tone in her voice told him everything he needed to know.  
“Then she won't object.”  
“Will you object to a one-night-stand then?”  
“Well, I would take as a bit of an insult I you were to spend a night with me and not wish for another.”  
The teasing response earned him a sharp slap but before he could tease her any further Jenna took the opportunity.  
“Well now you gone and done it Meg.”  
“What?”  
Meghan spun around and stared at Jenna with a worried look.  
“He likes it when a woman isn't afraid to give him a show of her temper.”  
Meghan turned back to Takeshi and turned bright red when she noted the predatory smile and hungry glow in his eyes.  
“Indeed, I like them feisty.”  
Slowly getting to his feet he enjoyed the almost mesmerized look Meghan gave him, and he took full advantage of his size to invade her personal space while walking around her, as if inspecting her.  
Returning to stand in front of her he waited for her reaction.  
“Well sis, aren't you going to unwrap and inspect your entertainment for tonight?”  
Jenna's teasing quip made her sister stare and splutter before realizing that Takeshi was indeed waiting for her to undress him and have her way.  
“Nice.”  
Pulling away the simple shirt she traced her hands over his chest and abdomen.  
“Nice indeed. Though, it's the body of a sprinter, how's your stamina?”  
“Plenty enough to outlast you several times over.”  
“No lack of confidence at least.”  
She tugged at the hem of his pants with a smile.  
  


A low growl made Meghan pause her exploration of Takeshi's body  
“Don't worry Meg, that just means he's enjoying himself, that his control is slipping.”  
Jenna quickly calmed her sisters concerns about having done something wrong, something to upset him.  
“Take his hands, look at his nails, look at how they have become claws.”  
As Takeshi had grown to enjoy, he had been watching her explore his body, taking great pleasure in her increasing boldness so when she took his hand and brought it to her face he flexed his claws for her benefit.  
“Kiss him, feel his fangs.”  
When Meghan did as her sister suggested he rewarded her by gently nipping at her lips, then down her throat, drawing the most delicious moans from her.  
“Look into his eyes and know the truth of his fire.”  
The way her eyes widened when she saw his true eyes pulled at his control, and when the surprise faded and her gaze locked into his with a mesmerized stare that control came undone.  
  


 


End file.
